Game 53 lineups: Nats at Phillies

PHILADELPHIA - Let's get right down to it, because this is what you really want to know: Bryce Harper is not in the Nationals lineup tonight.

That's not a huge surprise after Harper took a fastball off the outside of his right knee in the seventh inning last night, ultimately departing after trying to run the bases. Though he officially was diagnosed with a contusion, the 23-year-old slugger was still in some obvious pain postgame, walking gingerly around the clubhouse. Nobody believes the injury is serious, but Harper is going to be sore for a couple days.

Anyway, the Nationals are attempting to win their second straight over the Phillies, and also improve to 11 games over the .500 mark. They've had five opportunities to do that in the last two weeks alone and have lost each time, so perhaps tonight's the night they get over that hump.

Joe Ross pitches for the Nats, looking to duplicate his start here last month when he tossed 7 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. Aaron Nola, one of the Phillies' bright young arms, takes the mound looking to lower his 2.86 ERA...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Where: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, XM 869, MLB.com
Weather: Clear, 83 degrees, wind 5 mph out to center field

NATIONALS (31-21)
CF Ben Revere
RF Jayson Werth
2B Daniel Murphy
1B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Clint Robinson
3B Anthony Rendon
C Wilson Ramos
SS Danny Espinosa
RHP Joe Ross

PHILLIES (26-25)
CF Odubel Herrera
SS Freddy Galvis
3B Maikel Franco
C Cameron Rupp
1B Ryan Howard
LF Tyler Goeddel
RF David Lough
2B Cesar Hernandez
RHP Aaron Nola