LaRoche out of Nats lineup again

By Dan Kolko

Nationals

July 20, 2013, 11:32am

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Davey Johnson said last night that if Adam LaRoche was healthy enough to return to the Nationals' lineup, he'd bat Bryce Harper in the leadoff spot tonight and move Denard Span down in the order. Well, LaRoche is out of the Nats lineup yet again due to a bout with the flu. And as a result, Span remains in the leadoff spot and Harper is back hitting cleanup for a second straight day. The Nats' lineup is actually the same tonight as it was last night, with the exception of a new starting pitcher. Gio Gonzalez (7-3, 3.03 ERA) takes the mound for the Nats, opposing Zack Greinke (8-2, 3.49 ERA), who is coming off a shutout against the Rockies his last time out. Greinke has actually not allowed a run in his last two starts, spanning 16 innings. For the Nats CF Denard Span 2B Anthony Rendon 3B Ryan Zimmerman LF Bryce Harper RF Jayson Werth SS Ian Desmond 1B Chad Tracy C Wilson Ramos LHP Gio Gonzalez For the Dodgers 2B Mark Ellis RF Yasiel Puig 1B Adrian Gonzalez SS Hanley Ramirez 3B Juan Uribe CF Andre Ethier LF Scott Van Slyke C Tim Federowicz RHP Zack Greinke