WASHINGTON vs. PHILADELPHIA 8/29/2018 MLB Odds, Pick & Preview

The Washington Nationals have proven to be quite the stumbling block for the Philadelphia Phillies, who are limping toward the end of August. Washington bids for a three-game sweep and its fifth win in the last six outings versus Philadelphia when the National League East rivals reconvene at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday.

Anthony Rendon belted a two-run homer in the ninth inning on Tuesday as the Nationals erased a three-run deficit in a 5-4 victory over the Phillies. The 28-year-old, who recorded his second three-hit performance in three days to highlight his eight-game hitting streak, is 20-for-55 with five homers, 14 RBIs and 10 runs scored against Philadelphia this season. To add salt in the wound, pinch-running pitcher Vince Velasquez was called out for leaving early while tagging up, resulting in a game-ending double play as the floundering Phillies fell for the eighth time in 10 outings and dropped 4 1/2 games behind first-place Atlanta. “It’s a super difficult loss to swallow. And we’ll be ready to come out and fight (Wednesday),” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Washington), NBCS Philadelphia

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (7-11, 4.35 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Jake Arrieta (9-9, 3.37)

Gonzalez lost his third straight start on Friday despite allowing just one run on seven hits in as many innings of a 3-0 setback at the New York Mets. The 32-year-old will be getting his third look this season at the Phillies, against whom he permitted two hits over five scoreless frames of a 7-3 win on May 4 before walking four to drive up his pitch count in a no-decision on July 1. Gonzalez, who owns an 11-7 career mark versus Philadelphia, could be making his last start with the Nationals after clearing trade waivers to become eligible to be dealt to any team.

Arrieta dropped this third straight start on Friday after yielding four runs on six hits — including two homers — over six innings in a 4-2 setback at Toronto. The 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner has recorded a pair of no-decisions versus Washington this season despite allowing just three earned runs on six hits in 11 innings. Mark Reynolds (9-for-22, homer, four RBIs) has been a thorn in the side of Arrieta, who owns a 1-2 mark with a 4.89 ERA in 11 career encounters against the Nationals.

WALK-OFFS

1. Washington 1B Ryan Zimmerman is 10-for-28 with two homers in his last seven games overall and 9-for-19 with six extra-base hits versus Philadelphia this season.

2. Phillies C Jorge Alfaro and OF Odubel Herrera each went deep on Tuesday to push their hitting streaks to seven and five games, respectively.

3. Reynolds could be facing a suspension or fine from Major League Baseball after he returned to the field following a strikeout on Tuesday and threw his batting gloves in the direction of the home plate umpire.

PREDICTION: Nationals 6, Phillies 2