Game 147 lineups: Nats at Braves

ATLANTA - Hello yet again from Turner Field, where it seems like the Nationals occupy the visitors' dugout every couple of weeks. This, of course, is the team's final trip to this ballpark, with the Braves moving to their new digs in the northwest suburbs next spring. There won't be many tears shed among the Nats players, coaches (or media members) about this development.

Tonight the teams open a three-game weekend series. The Nationals can't clinch the National League East title here - the best they could do is reduce the magic number to one if they sweep and the Mets get swept by the Twins - but they can taste it.

max-scherzer-pitching-20-strikeouts-sidebar.pngMax Scherzer gets the ball tonight for the first of what should be four more starts this season. This fact could be important to the right-hander, who currently owns a 16-7 record. You can do the math from there. Also of note: Scherzer currently has 251 strikeouts. Forty-nine more in four starts would be a lot, but it's not impossible.

All the regulars are in the lineup tonight, except for Danny Espinosa, who flew home to Southern California after Wednesday's game for the expected birth of he and wife Sara's first child. Espinosa was talking about trying to make it back here in time for this game; don't know yet if he did, but he's not starting. Stephen Drew takes his place at shortstop.

We're also waiting to find out if Dusty Baker is back to manage tonight or not after missing Wednesday's game following a death in the family. Baker also was planning to be back tonight, though that was contingent on smooth travel.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at ATLANTA BRAVES
Where: Turner Field, Atlanta
Gametime: 7:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, XM 186/869, MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 86 degrees, wind 17 mph right field to left field

NATIONALS (87-59)
CF Trea Turner
LF Jayson Werth
2B Daniel Murphy
RF Bryce Harper
3B Anthony Rendon
C Wilson Ramos
1B Ryan Zimmerman
SS Stephen Drew
RHP Max Scherzer

BRAVES (56-90)
CF Ender Inciarte
3B Adonis Garcia
RF Nick Markakis
LF Matt Kemp
C Tyler Flowers
2B Gordon Beckham
SS Dansby Swanson
1B Blake Lalli
RHP John Gant




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