-1745819772711.png){kind=logo}
PITTSBURGH – It’s cold. Really cold. Like, there were snow flurries this morning cold. But there’s a series finale to play this afternoon, and the Nationals and Pirates will be bundled up when they take the field at 1:35 p.m.
The Nats really could use this one. After winning two of three in Atlanta, the last thing they want to do is lose three of four in Pittsburgh. It’s going to take a much better start from Patrick Corbin, though, to give them a chance. The left-hander was battered around by the Braves last time out. He was working in the bullpen with pitching coach Jim Hickey on some things the other day. At this point, the Nationals will take any improvement they can get from him.
They’d like to score a few more runs than they did Saturday night, as well, when they went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and needed a two-run rally in the ninth just to get to four total for the game. They’ll be going up against Pirates left-hander Jose Quintana, who held the Cubs to one earned run in 5 1/3 innings in his season debut.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Where: PNC Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, MLB.com
Weather: Mostly sunny, 42 degrees, wind 8 mph out to right field
NATIONALS
2B César Hernández
RF Juan Soto
DH Nelson Cruz
1B Josh Bell
3B Maikel Franco
LF Lane Thomas
SS Alcides Escobar
C Riley Adams
CF Victor Robles
PITTSBURGH – The weather has taken a major turn for the worse here over the last 24 hours. It’s been cold and rainy all day, miserable weather for baseball. The good news, however, is that it’s supposed to clear out before first pitch tonight. It’s still not going to be very pleasant conditions when the Nationals and Pirates play the third game of their four-game series, but they should be able to play.
It’ll be Josh Rogers on the mound for the Nats, making his second start and hoping to pick up right where he left off in Atlanta on Monday night, when he held the Braves to one run and two hits in 5 1/3 innings. Rogers’ future in the rotation isn’t 100 percent certain beyond this, but you have to think a halfway decent start tonight buys him more time here regardless.
Bryse Wilson starts for the Pirates. The 24-year-old right-hander previously pitched for the Braves, so several of the Nats regulars have a little bit of experience against him. Maikel Franco is 2-for-3 with a homer and a walk against Wilson. Lane Thomas is 1-for-3 with a homer. César Hernández, who will be looking to reach base to lead off the game for the sixth consecutive day, is 1-for-6 with a triple off Wilson.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Where: PNC Park
Gametime: 6:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, MLB.com
Weather: Rain ending, 52 degrees, wind 9 mph out to left field
NATIONALS
2B César Hernández
RF Juan Soto
DH Nelson Cruz
1B Josh Bell
C Keibert Ruiz
3B Maikel Franco
LF Lane Thomas
SS Alcides Escobar
CF Victor Robles
ATLANTA – It doesn’t really mean much in the larger scheme, but in your mind, wouldn’t a 3-4 start to this season sound a whole lot better than a 2-5 start? Especially given the competition they’ve faced, if the Nationals emerge one game under .500 from this gantlet, you’d have to consider that a modest success, right?
Well, they have a chance to do just that this afternoon when they seek a series victory over the Braves in a matinee finale. They’ll obviously need to play a much better game than they did Tuesday night, when they were shellacked 16-4. But then again, they won the opener in convincing fashion, 11-2, so anything’s possible.
It’s a stiffer challenge today facing Braves ace Max Fried, though the lefty struggled on opening day, giving up five earned runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings to the Reds. He actually faced the Nationals six times last season, going 3-1 with a 4.08 ERA.
Josiah Gray starts for the Nats, who could certainly use some quality innings from the right-hander. The good news: The entire A bullpen is available, none of them having needed to pitch in either of the first two games of this series.
Nelson Cruz is back in the starting lineup after being scratched from last night's game with groin tightness. The slugger is batting third as the designated hitter.
