WASHINGTON (Interstat) — The Houston Astros and Washington Nationals will square off Wednesday at Nationals Park in the middle game of a three-game series, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. under cloudy skies and 81-degree heat. Houston (45-48) and Washington (47-45) enter having split the first two contests of the set. The Nationals outlasted the Astros 12-11 on Monday in a slugfest, before Houston rebounded with a 4-2 victory Tuesday. Wednesday’s rubber match carries extra weight for both clubs as they jockey for position near the .500 mark. Brice Matthews will be a key figure for the Astros. The center fielder went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs in Monday’s loss, though he had been mired in a lengthy slump before that breakout. Over his previous 10 games, Matthews had managed just three hits in 27 at-bats, with no extra-base hits and no RBIs. Houston will need his bat to provide support for a lineup that has been inconsistent away from Minute Maid Park. For Washington, third baseman Curtis Mead has been the Nationals’ most consistent run producer. Mead was 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs in Monday’s win and has hits in eight of his last nine games, raising his average to .303 over that stretch. He has driven in 10 runs in his past seven contests and will look to extend his hot streak against Houston’s pitching staff. The Interstat game simulator projects a 6-5 Nationals victory. Washington has been installed as a -1.5 favorite on the run line, with the over/under set at 8.5 runs. Beyond Wednesday, Houston travels to face the Texas Rangers beginning Friday, while Washington returns home to host the New York Yankees in a three-game weekend series. Both teams are fighting to gain ground in their respective divisions, making the outcome of this matchup critical for momentum heading into the All-Star break.