The Nationals are sticking with the lineup that was so effective last night, the one that put up eight runs on 12 hits.
Can't really blame them for that.
The one guy left on the outside looking in, however, is Anthony Rendon, the Nats' top prospect, who was called up to the majors on Sunday to make his big league debut.
The Nationals' initial idea had been to have Rendon in the lineup every day. There was no point in calling Rendon up to the big leagues, they believed, if he was just going to sit on the bench.
That was the message that manager Davey Johnson had relayed when Rendon first came up and it was repeated yesterday by general manager Mike Rizzo.
After starting the first four games after his call-up, however, this will now mark Rendon's second straight game on the bench. He had gone 2-for-15 with a double and an RBI in his four games.
Jordan Zimmermann (3-1, 2.67 ERA) gets the ball for the Nats tonight. He'll square off against Reds right-hander Homer Bailey (1-1, 3.24 ERA), who has allowed two earned runs, struck out 18 and walked three over his last two starts, spanning 14 innings.
For the Nats
CF Denard Span
3B Steve Lombardozzi
LF Bryce Harper
RF Jayson Werth
1B Adam LaRoche
SS Ian Desmond
2B Danny Espinosa
C Kurt Suzuki
RHP Jordan Zimmermann
For the Reds
CF Shin-Soo Choo
SS Cesar Izturis
1B Joey Votto
2B Brandon Phillips
RF Jay Bruce
3B Todd Frazier
LF Xavier Paul
C Corky Miller
RHP Homer Bailey
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