Game 124 lineups: Nats at Astros (game moved to MASN2)

HOUSTON - The Nationals again got off to a nice start in the opening game of a road series, dropping the American League West-leading Astros 4-3.

The Nats are 27-14 (.659) this season in series openers. On the road, they are 15-6 (.714) in series openers, including four straight wins at Miami, Chicago against the Cubs, San Diego and Houston. With a win tonight, the Nats would improve to 13-7-1 in road series. They have won a National League-best 40 games on the road this season.

The Nats have won nine straight games against Houston dating to Aug. 6, 2012. Tonight's starter, Edwin Jackson, was the starting pitcher in a 5-4 Nats win. Jackson went 5 1/3 innings for a no-decision, allowing two runs on two hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.

Nationals starting pitchers have thrown at least 115 pitches in a start 11 times this season, most in the major leagues. Red Sox pitchers have done it 10 times.

Jackson (4-2, 3.43 ERA) takes on Astros right-hander Mike Fiers (7-8, 4.32 ERA).

Manager Dusty Baker knows what the Astros can do on offense.

"They can hit and they are an aggressive club," Baker said. "They run. They play good defense. Much like us, they are capable of a big inning. We might have to take the air out of the ball a few times. They strike and they strike in a hurry. They got some formidable guys. They got quite a few left-handed hitters there. They got a pretty even lineup.

"We are back in the American League so the DH comes into play which is right up (Adam) Lind's alley for us."

Update: Because of the length of today's A's-Orioles game on MASN, the Nationals-Astros game has been moved to MASN2.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: Minute Maid Park
Gametime: 8:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 1500 AM, XM 182 (Astros)/ Internet 869 (Nationals), MLB.com
Weather: Indoors, 73 degrees

NATIONALS (75-48)
LF Howie Kendrick
SS Wilmer Difo
2B Daniel Murphy
1B Ryan Zimmerman
DH Adam Lind
3B Anthony Rendon
C Matt Wieters
CF Michael A. Taylor
RF Andrew Stevenson
RHP Edwin Jackson

ASTROS (76-49)
RF George Springer
3B Alex Bregman
2B Jose Altuve
LF Josh Reddick
1B Yuli Gurriel
SS Marwin Gonzalez
DH Carlos Beltrán
C Max Stassi
CF Jake Marisnick
RHP Mike Fiers