Going into game three of this NL East showdown, the Phillies (62-52, 31-22 home) are giving the start to Michael Lorenzen. On the other side, the Nationals (50-64, 28-30 away) are rolling with MacKenzie Gore. Don’t miss my prediction for today’s Washington Nationals versus Philadelphia Phillies game in Philadelphia.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS VS PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Washington Nationals +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Citizens Bank Park at 6:40 ET on Wednesday, August 9th.

WHY BET THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS:

  • In their last ten games, the Nationals have gone 7-3 vs. the runline.
  • Over their last three games on the road, Washington is 2-1 against the runline.
  • Opponents are hitting just .212 against MacKenzie Gore in his last four starts.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS HAVE STRUGGLED AGAINST THE NL EAST

Leading up to today’s game, the Nationals are 5th in the NL East on a record of 50-64. Overall, they have played in 36 different series, going 13-21-2. When playing above .500 teams, the Nationals are 50-64, and currently hold win percentages of 39.3% at home and 48.3% on the road.

MacKenzie Gore takes the mound for Washington with a 6-8 record. He’s made 22 appearances so far this season, with an ERA of 4.34 and a K/9 rate of 10.37. His FIP is 4.39 and his OBP is .322.

MacKenzie Gore earned a no-decision in the Nationals’ 3-2 victory over the Brewers, despite a quality start. He pitched six innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs.

As a team, the Nationals are ranked 24th in home runs, and have gone deep in three straight games. In terms of batting average, the Nationals are hitting .259 which is 5th in the league and are averaging 4.4 runs per game (18th). Across Washington’s last five games, they are averaging 5.6 runs per contest (5th).

Over the Nationals’ last five games, Lane Thomas has been a standout at the plate, leading the team in hits and batting .360. This season, Thomas is hitting .287 and has 67 RBIs to his name.

WILL THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

For the season, the Phillies have put together a record of 62-52 and are 2nd in the NL East, putting them 10.5 games out of first place. Philadelphia’s overall series record sits at 20-13-2. On the road, they have gone 31-30 and 31-22 at home.

Today marks Michael Lorenzen’s 20th outing of the season, and his record currently stands at 6-7. His ERA is 3.48 and opponents are batting .275 against him. He has struck out 88 batters thus far, with a WHIP of 1.08. On the road, his ERA is 3.42 while it is 4.24 when he pitches at home.

Michael Lorenzen earned a quality start and the win in his most recent outing, as the Phillies defeated the Marlins 4-2. The right-hander allowed two runs and six hits over eight innings of work.

The Phillies have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 11 home runs over their last five games. Compared to other clubs, this is 2nd best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 15th in home runs and 11th in slugging percentage. Overall, Philadelphia is averaging 4.6 runs per game (13th).

The Phillies’ Bryson Stott leads the team in hits with a .302 batting average. He has a .438 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .346 entering the game.