White Sox at Nationals
The Washington Nationals have won eight of their last 10 contests to creep back within shouting distance in the National League East. The Nationals aim to continue to gain ground on Wednesday afternoon when they bid for a sweep of an abbreviated two-game interleague series versus the visiting Chicago White Sox.
Washington's Anthony Rendon homered and drove in five runs during Tuesday's 9-5 win to improve to 9-for-19 with eight RBIs and five runs scored in his last five games. Rendon's three-run blast highlighted the Nationals' season-high six-run fifth inning, with Victor Robles' two-run shot serving as his first homer since May 15. Yolmer Sanchez had a two-run single to cap a four-run first inning and Yoan Moncada belted a solo shot in the second before Chicago surrendered nine unanswered runs to fall for just the second time in its last eight games. Sanchez has recorded five multi-hit performances in his last eight games heading into an encounter with right-hander Anibal Sanchez.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NBCS Chicago, MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Dylan Covey (1-4, 4.73 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Anibal Sanchez (1-6, 4.47)
Covey snapped a 14-start winless skid after allowing just one run on eight hits in six innings of a 6-1 victory against Cleveland on Friday. The run permitted came at the expense of a homer for the 27-year-old, who has been taken deep in each of his last five trips to the mound. Covey has yielded 14 runs on 12 hits with 13 walks in 16 innings en route to posting an 0-4 mark on the road this season, as opposed to a 1-0 record at home in which he has allowed just five runs in three starts.
Like Covey, Sanchez recorded his first win of the season in his last start on Wednesday as he allowed just one hit and struck out seven over six scoreless innings at Atlanta. The 35-year-old Venezuelan owns a 3-6 mark with a 4.60 ERA in 15 career appearances (12 starts) versus the White Sox, with Jose Abreu batting a robust 13-for-24 with two homers and nine RBIs against him. Sanchez has fared significantly better versus right-handed batters (.219) as opposed to left-handed hitters (.275).
WALK-OFFS
1. Moncada has hit safely in six straight games and 11 of his last 12 overall.
2. Washington OF Juan Soto is 1-for-10 this month after ending May with a career-high 14-game hitting streak.
3. White Sox CF Leury Garcia is 1-for-10 in his last three games.