Game 48 lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals

It was four weeks ago when the Nationals embarked on what looked like one of the toughest road trips they've ever faced, the first leg of a prolonged stretch of games against mostly tough competition. That trip began in St. Louis, previously a house of horrors for this team. But the Nats flipped the script, sweeping the Cardinals for the first time in their history and kicking off that tough stretch in impressive fashion.

Now the Cardinals come to D.C. for a four-game weekend series in what arguably is the back end of this difficult stretch that has seen the Nationals play the Cards, Royals, Cubs, Tigers, Marlins and Mets. Their record so far during this stretch: 14-12. Good, not great. A strong weekend against a St. Louis team teetering on the brink certainly would help, though.

Joe Ross gets the ball for the Nationals, looking to duplicate (or best) his six innings of one-run ball the last time he faced the Cardinals. Mike Leake, who gave up five runs in seven innings when he went up against the Nats, will be facing a lineup missing Daniel Murphy. The .394-hitting second baseman gets only his second day off of the season. Stephen Drew, who is 4-for-6 in his career vs. Leake (though all the at-bats came in 2011), will replace Murphy...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB Network (outside market), MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, XM 89, MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 82 degrees, wind 8 mph right field to left field

NATIONALS (28-19)
CF Ben Revere
LF Jayson Werth
RF Bryce Harper
1B Ryan Zimmerman
3B Anthony Rendon
C Wilson Ramos
2B Stephen Drew
SS Danny Espinosa
RHP Joe Ross

CARDINALS (24-23)
CF Jeremy Hazelbaker
SS Aledmys Diaz
1B Matt Adams
RF Stephen Piscotty
LF Brandon Moss
C Yadier Molina
2B Kolten Wong
3B Greg Garcia
RHP Mike Leake