Padres at Nationals
Washinton Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg was born in San Diego and starred collegiately at San Diego State en route to becoming the top overall pick in the 2009 draft. However, Strasburg will have to put aside any sentimental feelings when he takes the mound for the host Nationals in the second contest of their three-game series versus the surging San Diego Padres on Saturday afternoon.
The Padres rebounded from a six-game slide by matching their longest winning streak of the season, edging Washington 4-3 in the series opener for their fourth straight victory. Hunter Renfroe belted a tiebreaking homer in the ninth inning and Eric Hosmer also went deep as San Diego improved to 8-3 on the road. Yan Gomes went 3-for-4 with a two-run blast to stake the Nationals to an early lead, but they were unable to hold it and tumbled to their fifth loss in seven contests to drop two games under .500. Strasburg turned in a masterpiece last time he faced the Padres at Nationals Park, registering 15 strikeouts over seven scoreless innings in May 2017.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Eric Lauer (2-3, 4.67 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (2-1, 4.11)
Lauer will be trying to avoid a three-start losing streak, giving up three runs - two earned - over five innings versus Cincinnati last time out and surrendering three runs over five frames at Arizona in his previous turn. Both of his wins have come at the expense of San Francisco, including an outing in which he tossed six scoreless innings of four-hit ball in his season debut before allowing four homers over his next three turns. Lauer had a strong start at Washington last year, allowing one hit over six frames in a no-decision.
Strasburg is coming off his best performance of the season - a dominating effort at Miami in which he registered 11 strikeouts while limiting the Marlins to two hits over eight scoreless innings. It was a big bounce-back effort from his previous outing, when he surrendered three homers and was charged with four runs and six hits over six innings in a home loss to San Francisco. Manny Machado is 3-for-6 with a double against Strasburg, who owns a 7-2 record and 3.05 ERA in nine career starts against San Diego.
WALK-OFFS
1. Nationals RF Adam Eaton is riding an 11-game hitting streak.
2. Hosmer is 7-for-19 with two homers, two doubles and five RBIs in his last five games.
3. Nationals 3B Anthony Rendon was hitless in three at-bats in his return to the lineup after missing four contests due to an elbow contusion.