Washington National (39-50) at Florida Marlins (42-46)
7:10 PM ET on FSN
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Starting Pitchers
WAS: S. Strasburg (3-2, 2.32)
FLA: R. Nolasco (9-6, 4.55)
The Marlins will be are seeking their first win at home in nearly a month when they square off against Stephen Strasburg in the opener of a three-game series against the Washington Nationals on Friday night at Sun Life Stadium.
Florida hasn’t won in Miami since beating Tampa Bay on June 20. They are coming off a 10-day road trip that started with a three-game series in Puerto Rico before finishing with a 2-0 victory over the Diamondbacks on Sunday. The Fish are 7-6 during that stretch.
Friday’s contest will be the first of a 10 game home stand for the Marlins who have played DC twice this season taking two of three at home and then dropping two of three one week a later at Nationals Park.
Washington entered the All-Star break losers of three of four, falling to San Francisco 6-2 on Sunday. The club continues to struggle and is currently 11 games under .500, 14 games back of NL East leaders Atlanta and 10 games out of a wild card spot.
But despite their dreadful record, Nationals’ fans have been energized by rookie pitching sensation, Stephen Strasburg, who for the most part, as lived up to the hype.
The baseball faithful thought they had witnessed the second coming as the hard-throwing right-hander clipped off two wins in his first two major league starts, but won for the first time in five decisions after, during Friday’s 8-1 victory over the Giants. The 21-year-old allowed one run and three hits with eight strikeouts in six innings for his first victory since June 13. This will be Strasburg’s first start against the Marlins.
In quest of winning five straight in as many starts for the first time in his career, will be the dangerous Ricky Nolasco who has posted a 3.54 ERA during his winning streak while striking out 34 over 28 innings. It looks like he’s finally starting to turn things around after putting up ERAs higher than five in both May and June. If Nolasco can out-duel Strasburg on Friday, he might become one of the most fearsome arms in baseball in the second half. He is 6-1 in his previous nine starts against Washington.
The odds makers have the Nationals as –1-½ – favorites with a run total of 7.
The Nationals’ Adam Dunn is 10 for 20 with five home runs and 10 RBIs in his last five games, but has struggled against Nolasco going 3 for 17 lifetime. Hanley Ramirez, who participated in this year’s home run derby, is second in HR’s for the Marlins including four in six appearances against the Nationals this season.
Despite having Stasburg on the mound, I just don’t think DC can scratch across enough runs against Nolasco to get the win. Take the Fish and the UNDER.
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