Cardinals at Nationals
The St. Louis Cardinals are enjoying nothing but sunny skies with wins in five in a row and 10 of their last 11 games to claim the best record in the majors. The visiting Cardinals look to complete a four-game sweep on Thursday when they face the reeling Washington Nationals, who likely feel as though they are under a dark cloud with losses in six of their last seven.
Jose Martinez elevated his batting average to a robust .375 after recording his fourth consecutive multi-hit performance in St. Louis' 5-1 victory on Wednesday. Martinez had a two-run single in the first inning and crossed the plate for the third straight game when he capped the scoring in the eighth. Runs have been in short supply for injury-riddled Washington, which has mustered just six in the series. Nationals outfielder Juan Soto will be re-evaluated prior to the finale after he was a late scratch from Wednesday's starting lineup due to a back spasm.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Midwest (St. Louis), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Dakota Hudson (2-1, 5.63 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (2-1, 3.82)
Hudson recorded back-to-back wins in his last two starts, as he overcame three solo homers to work five innings in a 6-4 victory versus the New York Mets on April 21 before permitting three runs in a season-high 5 2/3 frames of a 6-3 triumph against Cincinnati. The 24-year-old kept the ball in the park versus the Reds after being taken deep eight times in his previous five starts. Hudson made four relief appearances against Washington in his rookie season of 2018, yielding two runs on three hits in 2 1/3 total innings.
Strasburg has spun a pair of gems in his last two outings, answering a two-hit, 11-strikeout performance in a 5-0 romp of Miami on April 21 with a two-run effort over seven innings six days later in a no-decision against hometown San Diego. The 30-year-old sports a 2-2 mark with a 2.56 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in six career appearances against St. Louis, although he hasn't faced the club since 2016. Marcell Ozuna is 13-for-38 with two homers versus Strasburg while Jedd Gyorko is 6-for-14 with a homer, although the hurler has kept Yadier Molina (2-for-9) in check.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington 3B Howie Kendrick is 7-for-20 in his last five games.
2. Ozuna has four multi-hit performances in his last seven contests.
3. Nationals SS Carter Kieboom is 0-for-10 with four strikeouts in the series.