Game 13 lineups: Nats vs. Rockies

The Nationals need to start hitting. There's no getting around this. Since April 4 (their series finale in Atlanta) they've scored an average of 2.5 runs per game. Only the Brewers (2.25) have scored fewer in the majors in that span. That's not good.

Perhaps a matchup tonight against Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland could help matters a little bit. The Nationals have a very right-handed-lineup these days, and so that could set them up for more production in this one. In fact, the guys starting tonight are a collective 7-for-16 with a double and two homers in their career vs. Freeland, who lost each of his first two starts this season and has allowed seven runs in 11 1/3 innings.

Perhaps in an attempt to ensure another right-handed bat in tonight's lineup, Davey Martinez has Howie Kendrick playing left field for the only the second time in 2018. This is nothing new for Kendrick, who primarily was a left fielder in 2016-17, but he's been needed primarily at second base so far this year with Daniel Murphy on the DL.

Tanner Roark, who was excellent in his first start of the season, not-so-excellent in his second start, looks to bounce back and send the Nationals into the weekend on a positive note with Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg still to come.

COLORADO ROCKIES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Clear, 78 degrees, wind 16 mph out to center field

NATIONALS
SS Trea Turner
3B Anthony Rendon
RF Bryce Harper
1B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Howie Kendrick
CF Michael A. Taylor
2B Wilmer Difo
C Pedro Severino
RHP Tanner Roark

ROCKIES
2B D.J. LeMahieu
LF Gerardo Para
3B Nolan Arenado
RF Carlos Gonzalez
C Chris Iannetta
CF Ian Desmond
SS Trevor Story
1B Ryan McMahon
LHP Kyle Freeland