Royals at Nationals
The Washington Nationals aim to win their fourth straight series and carry their recent momentum into the All-Star break when they take on the visiting Kansas City Royals in the rubber match of a three-game set Sunday afternoon. Behind another outstanding start by ace Max Scherzer and a 12-hit attack, the Nationals rolled to a 6-0 win in Saturday's matchup.
It was their 14th victory in the last 18 games and their 22nd in a 31-game surge that pushed the club toward the top of the National League wild-card race. Washington is also 19-9 at home after opening with a 6-11 mark at Nationals Park. After Scherzer sliced through the overmatched Royals, the Nationals get to turn to another outstanding arm in the form of Patrick Corbin, who starts the finale opposite Jakob Junis for Kansas City. The Royals had a pair of hits and a walk from Alex Gordon in Saturday's defeat as their MLB-worst road record fell to 14-32.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, MASN2 (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Jakob Junis (4-8, 5.53 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Patrick Corbin (7-5, 3.55)
Junis gave up a season-high seven runs (six earned) over 4 2/3 innings in a loss to Cleveland last time out. The one positive for the 26-year-old was that he was able to keep the ball in the park after serving up six home runs over his previous four outings. Junis has yet to face the Nationals and is 2-2 with a 3.92 ERA in eight career interleague starts.
While donning the No. 45 of good friend Tyler Skaggs, the Los Angeles Angels pitcher who died suddenly last week, Corbin paid tribute with seven dominant innings against Miami on Tuesday. It marked the third straight time he has allowed exactly one run in seven frames and he's given up just 13 hits while striking out 24 in those 21 innings. The 29-year-old has faced the Royals just once in his career, recording 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.
WALK-OFFS
1. Royals 1B Lucas Duda is 4-for-26 with 12 strikeouts over his last eight games.
2. Washington LF Juan Soto has four singles and three walks through the first two games of the series.
3. The Nationals optioned RHP Austin Voth to Triple-A Harrisburg on Saturday to make room for Scherzer, who was activated from the paternity list.