Miami Marlins at Washington Nationals prediction, pick for 6/16

Marlins turn to Sandy Alcantara for opener at Washington

Miami right-hander Sandy Alcantara will look to continue his return to form when the Marlins open a three-game series at the Washington Nationals on Friday night.

The defending National League Cy Young Award winner struggled from the start this season and is 2-5 with a 4.75 ERA, well above his 3.28 career mark.

Alcantara has allowed four or more earned runs in four of his past six starts. Over that stretch, he has given up 30 hits and 15 walks in 39 2/3 innings.

His most recent outing, however, was promising. Alcantara yielded one run on three hits over seven innings in a no-decision against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. He struck out four and walked two while inducing 13 ground balls. Alcantara also avoided permitting any big innings, something that has plagued him thus far.

"He gave up a solo home run," Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said after that game, a 5-1 Miami victory. "I can deal with the solo home run all day long. Got a lot of ground balls today. The defense played excellent for seven innings of his outing. ...

"Besides maybe a couple walks that he wants to have back, he pitched really, really well and kind of vintage Sandy."

Alcantara is 6-6 with a 3.21 ERA in 13 career starts against the Nationals.

The Marlins were off on Thursday after salvaging the finale of a three-game series in Seattle in the night before. Right fielder Jesus Sanchez robbed Seattle's Eugenio Suarez of a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning, and Miami held on for a 4-1 win as the blow that could have tied the game became a sacrifice fly.

"He made an incredible play," Miami designated hitter Jorge Soler said of Sanchez. "He saved us all."

Soler hit his 20th homer of the season for Miami, which had won three straight series before dropping two of three to the Mariners.

The Nationals traveled back to Washington after completing a 2-4 road trip with a 4-1, 10-inning win against the Houston Astros on Thursday night.

Keibert Ruiz's ninth-inning homer gave Washington a 1-0 lead, but Houston tied it against Hunter Harvey in the bottom of the ninth. The Nationals went to extra innings for the first time this season after finishing 3-7 in extras a year ago.

Washington put the game out of reach with a three-run 10th inning as Lane Thomas and Ruiz sandwiched RBI singles around a bases-loaded walk by Corey Dickerson.

Right-hander Trevor Williams (3-4, 4.11 ERA) will start the series opener for Washington. Williams was selected by the Marlins in the second round of the 2013 draft but was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2015 before reaching the majors.

Williams pitched for the Pirates, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets before joining Washington last winter.

In his latest start, Williams allowed two runs on seven hits, including a home run, in five innings during a win over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. He matched his season high by striking out six for his second consecutive start, and he walked just one batter.

"They're a really good hitting team," Williams said of the Braves. "It's a matter of executing your pitches. I didn't execute one pitch today, and it was hit about a mile. Other than that, I thought we pitched a really good game."

Williams is 1-2 with a 3.75 ERA in 10 career games, five starts, against the Marlins.