A break in the schedule could help the Washington Nationals pad their lead in the NL East. After a sweep of the Phillies, the Nats visit Cincinnati where the Reds are trying desperately to stay ahead of the Braves and out of the NL basement.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
Washington is using a soft spot in its schedule to expand its lead in the NL East. The Nats swept a three-game series in Philadelphia ahead of their visit to Cincinnati and look to continue their surge against the NL Central’s last place Reds. After dropping four of their previous six games, the Nationals started their four-game winning streak by knocking off the Cardinals 10-2 in the finale of that series before heading to Philly.
Since getting swept in a four-game series at Chicago in early May, the Nats are a cool 7-2 in nine road games prior to their Ohio visit, and are in the black 4.94 units on the moneyline over that stretch. Washington has turned into the winningest road team in the majors going 18-10 in away games while up 6.96 units.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Tanner Roark (4-4, 2.70 ERA) has been chewing up innings for the Nationals, going seven innings in Monday’s win over Philadelphia for the sixth time in his 11 starts. He allowed two runs on four hits with four strikeouts on an economical 97 pitches. Roark has allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his last three outings and is averaging 6.1 innings per start this year.
Roark isn’t the flashiest pitcher in the Nats rotation, but he’s giving them consistently solid outings and now has his ERA down to 2.70. He’s also been good in two career starts in Cincinnati’s hitter-friendly yard. Roark has allowed three runs and seven hits across 13 innings and is 1-0 at Great American Ball Park.
Jon Moscot (0-3, 7.13 ERA) could not have had a worse first start back from the disabled list. In two innings he allowed seven earned runs, eight hits and four homers in a 17-4 loss at Colorado. The young right-hander didn’t have much of a chance in that ballgame, falling behind 3-0 after the first three batters. And it got worse.
Moscot didn’t walk a batter, but everything he tossed was up and over the plate. The four homers allowed doubled his season total and he’s yielding more than four homers every nine innings. The numbers were bloated from his Coors Field outing, but he’s surrendered 10 homers over 29.1 career innings.
LIVE BETTING
A player batting almost .400 is the driving force behind the Nationals offense. And it isn’t Bryce Harper. Second baseman Daniel Murphy has been swinging a hot bat all season, hitting a major league-best .394 two months into the season and has nine home runs and 34 RBIs
Expectations were high for Murphy following his big October with the Mets and the three-year, $37.5 million contract he signed with Washington in the offseason. But few expected him to lead the majors with 78 hits this far into the season. His 47 hits in May were a Nationals record and tied the franchise mark set by two other hitters while playing in Montreal.
QUICK PICK
This just isn’t a good matchup for the Reds, even though they get the Nats in their yard. Cincinnati is trying to stay ahead of the Braves and out of last place in the National League, and right now that’s really all they have to play for. The pitching has been horrible and Moscot was lit up his last time out. Though, that happens quite a bit in the thin air at Coors Field. The young hurler has been respectable in his three other outings, but nothing like Roark, who is a rock on one of the top rotations in the game. Moscot gives up the long ball and the Nationals have hit their share. Expect some to be launched out of Great American.
MLB Odds: Washington 7, Cincinnati 2
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