The Washington Nationals (31-48) will be trying to take the series lead when they face the Philadelphia Phillies (41-37) in the first game of their three-game series on Friday night.
Josiah Gray, 5-6, 3.43 ERA, will get the start for the Nationals. The Phillies will counter with Cristopher Sanchez, 0-1, 4.05 ERA.
Philadelphia is 8-2 in its last 10 games against Washington.
**This preview was written before Thursday’s game was played**
The Nationals followed up their two-game losing streak by winning four of their last five games. They will try to keep the momentum going with a win over the Phillies, which will give them their fifth win in their last six games and the series lead.
Washington is averaging 4.16 runs per game. Their .261 batting average is seventh in the league. Their .319 on base percentage is 17th, while their .395 slugging percentage is 23rd.
Lane Thomas has been the most consistent batter for the Nationals. He leads the team with a .298 batting average, 14 home runs, and 43 RBI.
Washington’s pitching hasn’t been good, with the team giving up 4.94 runs per game. Opponents have a .267 batting average against the Nationals, which is 27th in the league. Their 4.64 ERA is 26th, while their 1.46 WHIP is 27th.
In his last start, Gray gave up four hits and no runs in 5.1 innings, leading to a 2-0 win over San Diego. They will need a similar effort from him if they want to get the win.
C.J. Abrams (Elbow) is questionable for this game.