Trea Turner looks to continue his torrid stretch at the plate on Sunday afternoon when the visiting Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox play the rubber match of their three-game series.
Turner, who went 5-for-5 in Washington's 5-3 setback on Saturday, carries a career-high 14-game hitting streak and on-base run of 20 consecutive contests into the series finale. The 27-year-old is batting .474 (27-for-57) with three homers, 11 RBIs and 17 runs scored during his hitting streak.
Turner is 6-for-15 with two solo homers in his career against Boston's Zack Godley (0-3, 7.29 ERA), who will get the start on Sunday after fellow right-hander Nathan Eovaldi was placed on the injured list with a sore right calf.
Godley allowed three runs and walked five in just 2 2/3 innings in a 5-4 loss to Baltimore in his last outing, one week ago.
"He knows how many walks he had (on Sunday) so he's concerned about it," Boston manager Ron Roenicke told reporters. "Those walks hurt, no question."
Godley owns a 3-1 record with a 5.53 ERA in nine career appearances (five starts) versus Washington.
Howie Kendrick, who is 7-for-14 against the 30-year-old Godley, has collected at least one RBI in a career-best eight straight games entering Sunday's contest.
Kurt Suzuki enters the finale on a career-best 11-game hitting streak, during which he is batting .333 (13-for-39).
Washington right-hander Austin Voth (0-3, 6.65 ERA) will get the nod on Sunday after a particularly brutal start in his last outing. Voth allowed six runs on as many hits in 3 2/3 innings of an 11-8 setback versus Miami on Monday.
"We need him," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "We said this coming in: He earned the right to be the fifth starter. We've got to fix him. ... Hopefully his next outing will be better."
Voth will be making his 19th appearance, 16th start and first versus Boston in his career.
The 28-year-old may be tasked to go deep into the game after the Red Sox used seven pitchers on Saturday.
Voth would be wise to keep a keen eye on Xander Bogaerts, who belted a three-run homer among his three hits on Saturday.
"I feel like I'm getting some good at-bats and getting some good results," said Bogaerts, who is batting .357 (15-for-42) in his last 11 games.
"It's definitely good as a baseball player to get some results, to see all the work we put in paying off."
Boston has answered a season-high nine-game skid by winning five of its last nine contests.
Juan Soto has hit safely in 13 of his last 16 games for Washington, which has dropped four of its last six overall.
The Nationals stranded 14 runners on base Saturday, much to the chagrin of Martinez.
"Unlucky. We are swinging the bats well, just one of those days. (If) we had one or two hits in a big moment, the game is different," he said. "Just keep playing hard, I think they swung really well today so just got to come back tomorrow."
--Field Level Media
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