Game 27 lineups: Nats at Royals

KANSAS CITY - Hello one last time from Kauffman Stadium, where the Nationals will try to bounce back from their gut-punch of a loss last night, win today's matinee against the Royals and thus take the interleague series. The clubhouse mood was really low after last night's 7-6 loss, as low as it has been at any point so far in this young season. Obviously that was an especially tough loss, with Jonathan Papelbon blowing a two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth, but in the big picture this team still is 18-8 and playing really good baseball all around.

It'll be Stephen Strasburg's task today to get momentum back on the Nationals' side, and right now there are few pitchers you'd rather have on the mound for such an occasion. The right-hander is 4-0 with a 2.25 ERA, 40 strikeouts against only eight walks and he has gone at least seven innings in each of his five starts to date.

Kris Medlen, a two-time Tommy John surgery recipient, gets the start for Kansas City. The Nats lineup will remember him well from his time with the Braves...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Where: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City
Gametime: 2:15 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, XM 869, MLB.com
Weather: Sunny, 66 degrees, wind 14 mph left field to right field

NATIONALS (18-8)
CF Michael A. Taylor
3B Anthony Rendon
RF Bryce Harper
DH Ryan Zimmerman
2B Daniel Murphy
LF Jayson Werth
C Wilson Ramos
1B Clint Robinson
SS Danny Espinosa

RHP Stephen Strasburg

ROYALS (14-12)
SS Alcides Escobar
3B Mike Moustakas
CF Lorenzo Cain
1B Eric Hosmer
DH Kendrys Morales
LF Alex Gordon
2B Omar Infante
RF Jarrod Dyson
C Drew Butera

RHP Kris Medlen