Brewers at Nationals
The fight for postseason positioning in the National League takes on a head-to-head feel Friday when the Milwaukee Brewers visit the Washington Nationals to start a three-game series. The Nationals enter the weekend in possession of the top wild card while the Brewers are one game behind the Chicago Cubs for the No. 2 spot entering play Thursday.
Washington sits 2 1/2 games ahead of Milwaukee and is riding a four-game winning streak, highlighted by a 17-7 drubbing of the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. "We're playing well," Nationals manager Dave Martinez told reporters. "And the message is every day, 'Let's go 1-0.' We stick to that message. No one remembers what we did in May. Just keep playing the way we're playing now and keep on rolling." Milwaukee still has its sights set on the NL Central title and is beginning a stretch Friday in which it will play six of seven series against contending NL teams, with the lone outlier a two-game set against AL-powerhouse Houston. The Brewers are winners of six of their last eight games and will send right-hander Adrian Houser to the mound Friday opposite Washington lefty Patrick Corbin.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), MASN 2 (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Adrian Houser (5-5, 4.00 ERA) vs. National LH Patrick Corbin (9-5, 3.41)
Houser is coming off his best start of the season Saturday against Texas, allowing one run and three hits while striking out 10 in six innings to earn the win. The 26-year-old has bounced back and forth between the bullpen and the rotation this season and is 1-5 with a 6.00 ERA in nine starts. Houser made a start against Washington at home on May 7 but only went two innings, striking out four and scattering two hits in two scoreless frames.
Corbin was let down by the bullpen at the New York Mets last weekend and finished without a decision while allowing two runs on three hits and striking out eight in six innings. The 30-year-old surrendered three or fewer runs in eight of his last 10 starts and owns a 2.45 ERA in that span. Corbin is seeing Milwaukee for the first time this season and is 2-5 with a 5.18 ERA in eight career games (seven starts) against the Brewers.
WALK-OFFS
1. Brewers OF Christian Yelich (back) is 1-for-11 in his last three games.
2. Nationals RHP Max Scherzer (back) could come off the injured list this weekend.
3. Washington INF Asdrubal Cabrera is 8-for-21 with four doubles and five RBIs in six games since joining the team.