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Preview: Nationals at Marlins

GAME: Washington Nationals (53-46) at Miami Marlins (42-59)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, July 30 - 12:10 PM EST
WHERE: Marlins Park, Miami, Florida
LINE: -170, 156 TOTAL: 6.5

Max Scherzer attempts to bounce back from one of his worst starts of the season when he takes the mound for the Washington Nationals on Thursday afternoon in the finale of a three-game series against the Marlins in Miami. Bryce Harper belted a pair of home runs to take over the National League lead with 29 as the Nationals leveled the series at a game apiece with a 7-2 victory Wednesday.

Harper has belted 15 home runs in 54 career games against the Marlins, including six this season. Washington improved to 2-4 on its 10-game road trip to move two games ahead of the New York Mets atop the National League East. The Marlins have dropped four of five and could have played their last game with pitcher Mat Latos and first baseman Michael Morse, who reportedly are part of a three-team deal involving the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves. Veteran right-hander Dan Haren, also the subject of numerous trade rumors, is scheduled to oppose Scherzer.

TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Max Scherzer (10-8, 2.33 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Dan Haren (7-6, 3.51)

Scherzer lasted only five innings and served up three homers for the first time since 2011 in a 7-5 loss at Pittsburgh on Friday. Since a dominating three-start winning streak in which he struck out 33 and yielded only two runs over 26 innings, Scherzer is 1-3 over his last five outings. He struggled in a victory over the Marlins on May 6, giving up five runs on a season-high 10 hits while fanning 10.

Haren has won only once in his last nine starts but he has been a model of consistency, typically pitching six innings and giving up two to three runs per outing. He was victimized by the long ball in a 3-1 setback at San Diego last time out, surrendering three solo homers among eight hits over six innings. Haren went five innings of two-run ball to beat the Nationals on April 26 to improve to 4-3 with a 2.85 ERA against them.

WALK-OFFS

1. Harper drove in four runs Wednesday to halt a nine-game RBI drought and extend his hitting streak to seven games.

2. Marlins RF Ichiro Suzuki had a pair of hits Wednesday to give him 2,901 for his major-league career.

3. Nationals CF Michael Taylor has three homers and six RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Nationals 5, Marlins 3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Padres at Mets

GAME: San Diego Padres (48-53) at New York Mets (52-49)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, July 30 - 12:10 PM EST
WHERE: Citi Field, New York City, New York
LINE: 101, -109 TOTAL: 7

The New York Mets appeared on the verge of landing a new leadoff hitter by the time they took the field Thursday for the rubber match of a three-game series against the visiting San Diego Padres. However, New York general manager Sandy Alderson said after Wednesday's game that a reported deal to acquire Milwaukee's Carlos Gomez will "not transpire," leaving the Mets in search of another bat prior to Friday's trade deadline.

New York managed only five hits in Wednesday's 7-3 loss but three of them were solo homers by Lucas Duda. The first baseman has clubbed six homers in his last four games and became the second player in franchise history with three blasts in one home game. Padres outfielder Justin Upton, another player linked to several trade rumors, homered and drove in three runs as San Diego improved to 7-4 since the All-Star break. Yonder Alonso also went deep among two hits to boost his career batting average against the Mets to .345.

TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Andrew Cashner (4-10, 3.93 ERA) vs. Mets LH Jonathon Niese (5-9, 3.75)

Cashner, who lost seven of his first eight starts this year, is coming off one of his best outings after limiting Miami to one run over seven innings. It marked the third time in four starts that Cashner has pitched at least seven innings and the fifth straight turn in which he has not surrendered a home run. He suffered a bizarre loss to the Mets on June 1, striking out 12 but allowing six runs and 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings.

With his wife in labor, Niese opted to make his scheduled start on Friday and was promptly rocked for six runs and eight hits over a season-low three innings. That ended a string of eight consecutive quality starts by Niese, who was 2-3 in that span despite allowing a total of 14 earned runs. Niese is 3-2 with a 2.04 ERA in five starts against San Diego but has struggled against Upton, who is 9-for-23 against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mets rookie LF Michael Conforto is 0-for-9 with five strikeouts since his four-hit performance Saturday in his second career game.

2. Padres OF Will Venable and 3B Yangervis Solarte have each hit safely in four straight games.

3. Mets C Travis d'Arnaud (elbow) completed his rehab assignment at Double-A Binghamton on Wednesday and is set to rejoin the Mets.

PREDICTION: Mets 4, Padres 3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tigers at Orioles

GAME: Detroit Tigers (49-52) at Baltimore Orioles (51-49)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, July 30 - 7:05 PM EST
WHERE: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
LINE: 143, -155 TOTAL: 9

The Baltimore Orioles have won a season high-tying five in a row to regain their footing in pursuit of a potential playoff spot while the Detroit Tigers are admitting entertaining offers for All-Star pitcher David Price. The Orioles look to continue their good fortune at the Tigers' expense when the clubs open a four-game series at Camden Yards on Thursday.

J.J. Hardy homered in a 2-0 win over Atlanta on Wednesday to extend his hitting streak to 12 games for the Orioles, who moved within one game of Minnesota for the second wild card in the American League. While Baltimore is making a charge, Detroit is kicking the tires on shopping their pending free agents heading into Friday's trade deadline. "We look at it more as rebooting going into next year," Tigers president Dave Dombrowski said after the team posted a 2-1 win over Tampa Bay on Wednesday. In addition to Price, slugger Yoenis Cespedes, closer Joakim Soria, outfielder Rajai Davis and catcher Alex Avila are also on the table for Detroit.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, MASN (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Alfredo Simon (9-6, 4.46 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Miguel Gonzalez (9-6, 3.99)

After six less-than-stellar outings, Simon pieced together a strong performance on Saturday by allowing one run on five hits in six innings of a 5-1 triumph over Boston. The 34-year-old Dominican's outing was cut short as a mild groin strain sent him to the showers. Simon, who is a former Oriole, picked up the win against the Red Sox to improve to 2-3 in that span after permitting 34 runs in his previous six outings.

Gonzalez recorded his second straight victory on Saturday after allowing one run on five hits in 7 2/3 innings of a 5-1 win over Tampa Bay. The 31-year-old Mexican, who could match last season's win total with a triumph on Thursday, permitted two runs in five frames to pick up the victory over Detroit on July 19. Gonzalez's recent run of good fortune has offset a tough stretch, during which he allowed 17 runs and 29 hits in his previous four outings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Baltimore has yielded just seven runs during its winning streak.

2. Cespedes is 5-for-12 with two homers, three RBIs and as many runs scored in his last three contests.

3. Orioles 3B Manny Machado is 3-for-9 with two runs scored in his last two games after going 0-for-13 in his previous three.

PREDICTION: Orioles 3, Tigers 2