The Rangers won 5-0 in the series opener on Tuesday before the Nationals ​responded with a 6-0 victory on Wednesday.

deGrom (8-8, 3.95 ERA) started last Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Angels ‌but left after two innings with right triceps fatigue. He gave up two runs and six hits in a 7-0 loss to the Angels but was able to throw a bullpen session on Tuesday.

"It went well," Texas manager Skip Schumaker said.

The 38-year-old deGrom needs two strikeouts to reach 2,000 ​for his career. He would become the second fastest to 2,000 in terms of starts. He will make his 272nd ​start Thursday, and only Randy Johnson (262) reached the milestone in fewer.

deGrom is 1-2 with a 6.97 ⁠ERA in three August starts, with 15 strikeouts and seven walks in 10 1/3 innings. The former New York Met is ​10-4 with a 2.30 ERA in 23 appearances (all starts) vs. the Nationals.

Washington will counter with left-hander Anderw Alvarez (2-4, 3.72 ERA), who has ​worked as both a starter and a reliever since he was recalled in May. His last three appearances have been starts, and he is 0-1 with a 2.60 ERA in those games.

Last time out, Alvarez allowed two runs on two hits over 5 2/3 innings of a 4-1 loss ​to the Mets on Friday.

Alvarez has yet to face the Rangers in his career.

On Tuesday night, Cade Cavalli blanked the Rangers ​for six innings, and three relievers finished.

Andres Chaparro had a three-run homer among his three hits and scored three runs. He has hit safely ‌in four ⁠of his past five games to raise his average to .250. The right-handed batter generally has been part of a platoon, but on Wednesday night he started against a right-hander.

"He's hitting lefties really well, he's coming off the bench, and also when he's making a start like he did tonight against a righty, to be able to do what he did, I think it's just preparation ​and also confidence," Nationals manager ​Blake Butera said. "He wants to ⁠prove he can do it."

Washington, which had lost four games in a row and six of seven, also received a homer Wednesday from Jose Tena and two hits from Keibert Ruiz, who is ​batting .378 in August.

"Just keeping it simple," Ruiz said. "Don't try to do too much. Try to ​swing at strikes, ⁠swing at my pitch and control what I can control."

Corey Seager had two hits for the third game in a row for Texas, which managed only four hits and one walk.

"We just couldn't get anything going," Schumaker said. "We had a guy on first and second I ⁠think ​a couple of times, and that was about it. ... Obviously Corey Seager. Love ​the way he's swinging the bat right now, but other than that it was a challenging night for our offense."

The Rangers trail the Houston Astros by two ​games atop the American League West and the Minnesota Twins by half a game for the league's final wild-card spot.

--Field Level Media