SAN FRANCISCO – Hello from beautiful Oracle Park on the shores of McCovey Cove. The Nationals may be playing bad baseball these days, but at least they’ll be spending the next three days playing in a gorgeous ballpark. And maybe the cool Bay breeze will inspire them to play better this weekend against a Giants club that isn’t exactly on fire, either.

After a fantastic start to the season, San Francisco has collapsed this summer. Owners of a 40-28 record on June 11, the team has gone 18-29 since and found itself trading away several big-name players at last week’s deadline. The Giants have picked things up a bit since, going 4-2 in New York and Pittsburgh, but their postseason hopes have probably disappeared.

A Nationals lineup that was shut out Thursday by Athletics left-hander Jacob Lopez will face another lefty tonight in Matt Gage. The difference: Gage is merely an opener, likely to throw only an inning or two before handing it over to another pitcher. So we’ll see if the top of the Nats lineup can get something going early and set a more positive tone for the evening.

Jake Irvin takes the mound looking for a bounceback performance of his own. The 27-year-old had another ragged first inning in his most recent start against the Brewers, raising his ERA in the opening frame to an unsightly 9.39. If he can navigate his way through a clean bottom of the first tonight, he has a chance to have a good night overall. And the Nats will have a chance to get this road trip off on the right foot.

UPDATE: Luis García Jr. has been scratched from the lineup with back tightness, according to the Nationals. José Tena will now start at second base and bat eighth.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Where: Oracle Park
Gametime: 10:15 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 87.7 FM (Spanish), MLB.com
Weather: Mostly clear, 65 degrees, wind 12 mph out to center field

NATIONALS
LF James Wood
SS CJ Abrams
3B Brady House
2B Luis García Jr. 1B Nathaniel Lowe
DH Josh Bell
1B Nathaniel Lowe RF Robert Hassell III
C Drew Millas
RF Robert Hassell III 2B José Tena
CF Jacob Young

RHP Jake Irvin

GIANTS
LF Heliot Ramos
1B Rafael Devers
SS Willy Adames
DH Dominic Smith
3B Matt Chapman
CF Jung Hoo Lee
2B Casey Schmitt
C Patrick Bailey
RF Drew Gilbert

LHP Matt Gage