Game 72 lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals

The Nationals need a win. It doesn’t matter how they get it. It doesn’t matter who makes it happen. They just need to win a game for the first time since Thursday in Houston and for only the third time in their last 15 games.

There are multiple paths toward that outcome, but the best of them would be a top-notch start from MacKenzie Gore. The left-hander shut out the Astros over 5 2/3 innings in that aforementioned game Thursday evening. He faded a bit in the sixth, and with his pitch count rising, Davey Martinez decided not to push him any farther. But the performance was a good one, and the Nats would love to get something like that (or even better) tonight.

Jordan Montgomery is the Cardinals’ starter, and the lefty has been good this month with a 2.00 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 18 innings. The Nationals have been better against left-handers than right-handers this season, but that wasn’t true over the weekend against the Marlins. Martinez has his usual lineup for these matchups, with Stone Garrett in left field and batting fifth. Riley Adams gets the start behind the plate, with Keibert Ruiz sitting.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Cloudy, 77 degrees, wind 13 mph in from right field

NATIONALS
RF Lane Thomas
2B Luis García
3B Jeimer Candelario
DH Joey Meneses
LF Stone Garrett
1B Dominic Smith
C Riley Adams
CF Victor Robles
SS CJ Abrams

LHP MacKenzie Gore

CARDINALS
CF Tommy Edman
1B Paul Goldschmidt
3B Nolan Arenado
DH Willson Contreras
LF Jordan Walker
RF Dylan Carlson
SS Paul DeJong
C Andrew Knizner
2B Brendan Donovan

LHP Jordan Montgomery