Nationals at Reds
The Washington Nationals are beginning to find their form as they make a slow climb back to .500. The Nationals will try to stay hot on the road and earn a sixth win in seven contests when they visit the Cincinnati Reds for the opener of a three-game series on Friday.
The Nationals averaged nine runs in their last five wins and are coming off a 14-4 victory that polished off a two-game sweep at Atlanta, improving their record to 24-32. "We had guys injured, we had guys come back. We had guys that played that needed to just play games," Washington manager Dave Martinez told reporters after the win. "And now things are starting to click a little bit and they're starting to play. Our lineup's got some length now and we're starting to extend some innings." The Cincinnati lineup has some power of its own coming from Derek Dietrich, who homered three times on Tuesday to bring his season total to 17 and went 2-for-4 with an RBI in a 7-2 loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Nationals lefty Patrick Corbin will try to slow Dietrich while Reds right-hander Tyler Mahle takes on the Washington attack.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MASN 2 (Washington), FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals LH Patrick Corbin (5-2, 2.85 ERA) vs. Reds RH Tyler Mahle (1-5, 4.15)
Corbin is coming off his second career shutout after holding the Miami Marlins to four hits and a walk while striking out five and throwing a season-high 116 pitches. The 29-year-old allowed one or no runs in three of his last four outings and owns 81 strikeouts in 72 2/3 total innings. Corbin suffered through his worst start of 2018 against Cincinnati on May 30, when he was knocked around for a season-high six runs and eight hits over six innings to suffer the loss as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Mahle was reached for a season-high six runs and nine hits - three homers - at the Chicago Cubs on Saturday but did not factor in the decision. The 24-year-old yielded one or no runs in three of his first four starts in May but is just 1-2 on the month. Mahle was ripped for six runs on four hits and three walks over 1 2/3 innings at Washington last season on Aug. 2, after which he was sent to Triple-A for over a month.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Nationals signed veteran LHP Jonny Venters to a minor league deal on Wednesday.
2. Cincinnati 1B Joey Votto (hamstring) missed the last two games and is day-to-day.
3. Washington LF Juan Soto hit safely in each of the last 13 games.