Nationals at Phillies
Juan Soto has enjoyed much success at the expense of the Philadelphia Phillies throughout his brief major-league career, and he's taken it a step further this year by twice breaking their heart late in games. The 20-year-old slugger attempts to lead the red-hot Washington Nationals to a sixth consecutive victory and second straight series sweep of the Phillies when the National League East rivals complete their three-game set in Philadelphia on Sunday.
Washington fell behind 4-0 on Saturday and still trailed by one run with two outs in the ninth inning when Soto belted a two-run homer off Phillies closer Hector Neris to send his club to a 4-3 win - its 17th victory in 21 contests. The runner-up for the 2018 NL Rookie of the Year Award, who finished 3-for-5 in the triumph, also worked his late-inning magic against Philadelphia on April 9 as he broke open a tie game with a three-run shot in the 10th inning en route to another victory. The Phillies fell one-half game behind Milwaukee for the NL's second wild card following Saturday's setback and have dropped 14 of their last 22 - a stretch that includes five defeats versus the NL wild card-leading Nationals. After averaging 5.8 runs while splitting the first eight meetings of 2019, Philadelphia has totaled nine during its losing streak against Washington.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, TBS, MASN (Washington), NBCS Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Anibal Sanchez (5-6, 3.66 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Jake Arrieta (8-7, 4.67)
With regularly scheduled starter Max Scherzer headed to the injured list due to a back strain, Sanchez will try to even his record for the first time this season after going 0-6 with a 5.27 ERA over his first eight turns. The 35-year-old Venezuelan improved to 5-0 with a 2.11 ERA since that rough start on July 4 against Miami as he yielded two runs - one earned - in six innings. Sanchez made three of his first seven starts of the season against Philadelphia, going 0-2 with a 4.40 ERA while issuing 10 walks in 14 1/3 frames.
Arrieta will try to continue pitching through a bone spur in his right elbow, which is the most likely reason he has posted a 6.63 ERA over his last seven outings. The former NL Cy Young Award winner gave up five earned runs and a season-high 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings of a road loss to the New York Mets on July 6. Soto (3-for-7) and Brian Dozier (5-for-11) both have homered twice against Arrieta, who is 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA in two starts versus Washington this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Soto is batting .327 with nine homers, 26 RBIs and 26 runs in 26 career games versus the Phillies. The home run, RBI and run totals are his most against any opponent.
2. Philadelphia has dropped 30 of its last 32 contests in which it has scored three or fewer runs and owns a 5-33 record in such games this season.
3. Washington's bullpen worked three scoreless innings on Saturday and has not yielded a home run in 36 consecutive frames.