Nationals Face Red-Hot Diamondbacks Friday Night

Nationals Trying to Stop DBacks Series Win Streak at 8 to Start Season

The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Washington Nationals will square off on Friday night at Nationals Park. The Diamondbacks look to record a ninth straight series victory to begin the season. The opener of a three-game set starts tonight.

The NL West leading Diamondbacks (17-7) took two of three from Philadelphia to improve to 8-4 on the road heading this Season. They head into Washington (11-14), which is just 3-7 at home.

TV: 7:05 p.m. EST, MLB Network, FS Arizona, MASN (Washington)

Pitching Matchup: diamondbacks RH Zack Godley (3-1, 3.09 era) vs. nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (2-2, 2.97)

Oddsmakers opened the Nationals as -157-moneyline favorites versus the Diamondbacks, while the game's total opened at 7.5. The Nationals are now a 145-moneyline favorite. The total is down to 7 Flat (-110).

Nationals Struggling for Consistency

Strasburg has been plagued by the home run ball this season. He was taken deep twice to destroy a 10-strikeout performance on Saturday. He lost 4-0 at the dodgers. The all-star has surrendered six homers in five outings, covering 33 1/3 innings. The primadonna allowed only 13 during his entire 2017 season.

The 29-year-old boasts a 4-2 record versus the Diamondbacks while keeping the rest of their bats in check (.219).

Bryce Harper has gotten his fair share of licks in on Godley by going 3 for 8 against him. Harper is tied for the NL lead with eight homers. He is second with 10 doubles, and is tied for third with 19 RBIs. His production has led some opponents to pitch around when they can.

Bruce Bochy walked Harper with first base open and one out in the eighth inning of the Giants' 4-3 victory. He preferred to put the potential go-ahead run on base rather than pitch to Harper. The Giants got a double play grounder from Ryan Zimmerman and held for the win.

Harper has 32 walks, eight more than anyone else, and is on pace for 207.

Arizona is Pumping on all Cylinders to Start the Season

Godley gave himself a heck of a birthday present last Friday. He picked up his third win in four outings by overcoming a two-run double from Franchy Cordero.  The first inning blow was all he gave up. He went on to strike out eight over 5 1/3 innings versus San Diego.

The 28-year-old showed much better control by surrendering one walk. Godley issued six free passes in a disastrous performance at the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 15. The Right-Hander owns a 2-1 mark against the nationals while limiting them to a .225 batting average.

David Peralta has a homer while going 4-for-7 against Strasburg.

The Diamondbacks opened the season with the best run in the National League in 41 years. They are relying on pitching, defense and pure know-how to overcome the loss of what was expected to be their Nos. 4-5 hitters.

The DBacks are the first NL team since the 1977 Dodgers to win their first eight series of a season.

Nationals MLB Betting Trends

Team	Type	Trend	Hit%	O/U	Push.	W/L
Washington Nationals	Home	Nationals are 85-28 in their last 113 games as a favorite of -201 or greater.	75.20% (113)	|	0	85|28
Washington Nationals	Home	Nationals are 73-24 in their last 97 games as a home favorite of -201 or greater.	75.30% (97)	|	0	73|24
Washington Nationals	Home	Nationals are 45-13 in Strasburgs last 58 starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5.	77.60% (58)	|	0	45|13
Washington Nationals	Home	Nationals are 39-17 in Strasburgs last 56 home starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5.	69.60% (56)	|	0	39|17
Washington Nationals	Home	Under is 30-14-7 in Nationals last 51 games with the total set at 9.0-10.5.	68.20% (51)	14|30	7	|
Washington Nationals	Home	Over is 23-11-2 in Strasburgs last 36 home starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5.	67.60% (36)	23|11	2	|
Washington Nationals	Home	Nationals are 27-5 in Strasburgs last 32 starts as a favorite of -201 or greater.	84.40% (32)	|	0	27|5
Washington Nationals	Home	Nationals are 24-5 in Strasburgs last 29 starts as a home favorite of -201 or greater.	82.80% (29)	|	0	24|5
Washington Nationals	Home	Nationals are 21-8 in Strasburgs last 29 starts as a favorite of -151 to -200.	72.40% (29)	|	0	21|8
Washington Nationals	Home	Over is 15-6 in Strasburgs last 21 home starts with the total set at 6.5 or lower.	71.40% (21)	15|6	0	|

Nationals MLB Betting Trends

Arizona Diamondbacks	Away	Diamondbacks are 98-41 in their last 139 games as a favorite of -201 or greater.	70.50% (139)	|	0	85|28
Arizona Diamondbacks	Away	Diamondbacks are 35-17 in their last 52 games as a road favorite of -151 to -200.	67.30% (52)	|	0	35|17
Arizona Diamondbacks	Away	Diamondbacks are 6-45 in their last 51 games as a road underdog of +201 or greater.	11.80% (51)	|	0	6|45
Arizona Diamondbacks	Away	Under is 20-6-6 in Diamondbacks last 32 games as a favorite of -151 to -200.	76.90% (32)	6|20	6	|
Arizona Diamondbacks	Away	Diamondbacks are 12-5 in their last 17 games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.	70.60% (17)	|	0	1|5
Arizona Diamondbacks	Away	Over is 11-5 in Diamondbacks last 16 road games with the total set at 11.0 or higher.	68.80% (16)	11|5	0	|
Arizona Diamondbacks	Away	Diamondbacks are 9-4 in Godleys last 13 starts as a favorite of -110 to -150.	69.20% (13)	|	0	11|2
Arizona Diamondbacks	Away	Diamondbacks are 9-4 in their last 13 games with the total set at 9.0-10.5.	69.20% (13)	|	0	4|9
Arizona Diamondbacks	Away	Under is 6-2 in Diamondbacks last 8 games as a road favorite of -110 to -150.	75.00% (8)	2|6	0	|
Arizona Diamondbacks	Away	Under is 5-2-1 in Diamondbacks last 8 games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.	71.40% (8)	1|4	0	|

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Arizona at Washington Saturday, April 28

 

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