Nationals and Rangers meet in series rubber match #Nationals #Rangers #meet #series #rubber #match

Texas Rangers (52-38, first in the AL West) vs. Washington Nationals (35-54, fifth in the NL East)

Washington; Sunday, 12:05 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Rangers: Dane Dunning (8-1, 2.71 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 55 strikeouts); Nationals: Patrick Corbin (5-10, 5.22 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 68 strikeouts)

Washington Nationals designated hitter Joey Meneses (45) celebrates with Stone Garrett, right, after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Jeimer Candelario and Joey Meneses hit back-to-back homers in the first inning, Alex Call also went deep, and the Washington Nationals snapped a five-game skid with an 8-3 win over the AL West-leading Texas Rangers.

Texas Rangers' Marcus Semien runs toward third base on a double by Corey Seager, past Washington Nationals third baseman Ildemaro Vargas during the inning of a baseball game at Nationals Park, Friday, July 7, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Adolis García and Corey Seager homered, rookie Cody Bradford earned his first major league victory, and the Texas Rangers defeated the Washington Nationals 7-2 in the opener of a three-game series.

Texas Rangers' Adolis Garcia jogs around the bases after hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning in a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Arlington, Texas, Monday, July 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Emil T. Lippe)

Texas will become the first team in 47 years to have five position players start in the All-Star Game after the Rangers’ Adolis García and the Baltimore Orioles Austin Hays were picked to join the American League lineup as injury replacements.

Boston Red Sox's Enrique Hernandez, right, celebrates with Connor Wong (12) after scoring on a single by Rob Refsnyder against the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 6, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Kiké Hernández blooped a bases loaded, broken-bat single in the seventh to give the Red Sox the lead as Boston scored six times in the inning to beat the Texas Rangers 10-6.

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Rangers -204, Nationals +170; over/under is 10 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Washington Nationals and Texas Rangers play on Sunday with the winner claiming the three-game series.

Washington is 35-54 overall and 14-32 at home. The Nationals are 27-11 in games when they out-hit their opponents.

Texas is 52-38 overall and 25-20 on the road. Rangers hitters are batting a collective .274, the top team batting average in MLB play.

The teams meet Sunday for the third time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jeimer Candelario has 27 doubles, two triples, 13 home runs and 43 RBI while hitting .261 for the Nationals. Lane Thomas is 14-for-41 with two doubles over the last 10 games.

Corey Seager has 26 doubles and 12 home runs for the Rangers. Josh Jung is 12-for-41 with four doubles and three home runs over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Nationals: 4-6, .249 batting average, 5.70 ERA, outscored by 23 runs

Rangers: 3-7, .283 batting average, 5.69 ERA, outscored by seven runs

INJURIES: Nationals: Thad Ward: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Carl Edwards Jr.: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Victor Robles: 10-Day IL (back), Israel Pineda: 10-Day IL (finger), Stephen Strasburg: 60-Day IL (ribs/shoulder), Tanner Rainey: 60-Day IL (elbow), Victor Arano: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Cade Cavalli: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Rangers: Jacob deGrom: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jake Odorizzi: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Brett Martin: 60-Day IL (shoulder)