Cubs at Nationals
The Washington Nationals aim for their second straight series win after going nearly a month without one when they host the Chicago Cubs in the rubber match of a three-game series Sunday night. After the Cubs used six home runs - three by Kris Bryant - in a 14-6 rout to begin the series, the Nationals picked up a 5-2 win Saturday.
Juan Soto had a pair of hits and three RBIs for Washington after recording two hits and scoring a run in Friday's loss. Kyle Hendricks has been on a roll with three straight outstanding starts and will pitch the series finale for Chicago, which is in danger of losing its second straight series after going 9-0-1 over its previous 10. Bryant was among a top four in the Cubs' lineup Saturday that went a combined 1-for-14. They'll take aim at veteran right-hander Jeremy Hellickson for the Nationals in Sunday's finale.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (3-4, 2.86 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Jeremy Hellickson (2-2, 6.00)
Hendricks gave up seven runs in five innings in his final start in April before his dominant stretch began with his third career shutout May 3 against St. Louis. He followed that up with back-to-back eight-inning outings while giving up a total of one earned run and striking out 14. Adam Eaton is 4-for-13 with two home runs against the 29-year-old, who is 2-2 with a 2.61 ERA in seven career starts against the Nationals.
Hellickson has not finished six innings in six straight starts after he was reached for five runs in five frames of a loss to the New York Mets on Tuesday. The former Rookie of the Year has an 8.04 ERA through his first four appearances (three starts) at home in 2019. Bryant and Javier Baez are a combined 4-for-10 with two homers and a triple against Hellickson.
WALK-OFFS
1. Nationals SS Trea Turner went 1-for-4 with a run scored Saturday in his second game since returning from a finger injury.
2. Cubs INF David Bote homered Saturday after missing the previous two games.
3. Washington 2B Brian Dozier is 5-for-8 with a home run and three RBIs in this series.