Game 56 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

LOS ANGELES – A road trip that began with so much promise is now in danger of concluding in the complete opposite direction. Since winning the first two games of their weekend series in Kansas City (and carrying a lead into the seventh on Sunday), the Nationals have lost three straight, and today are in danger of getting swept by the mighty Dodgers.

If they want to avoid that ignominy and at least head home with a 3-3 record on the trip, they’re going to need to score some runs today against Noah Syndergaard. The veteran right-hander has not been good in his first season here in L.A. Through his first 10 starts, he’s 1-4 with a 6.27 ERA. Folks around here believe he should’ve been dropped from the rotation after his last outing, but the Dodgers don’t appear to have any better alternatives at the moment, so he’s back on the mound. Suffice it to say, this is an opportunity for the Nats to do some damage.

It’s also an opportunity for Patrick Corbin to continue to show his performance so far this season has been legitimate. His streak of starts allowing three or fewer earned runs came to end at seven Friday night, when he was charged with six runs in 6 1/3 innings against the Royals. The lefty was lit up here at Dodger Stadium last season, failing to make it out of the bottom of the first. He can’t afford to let anything like that happen again today.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Where: Dodger Stadium
Gametime: 4:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 66 degrees, wind 6 mph out to left field

NATIONALS
RF Lane Thomas
2B Luis García
DH Joey Meneses
LF Corey Dickerson
3B Jeimer Candelario 
1B Dominic Smith 
C Keibert Ruiz
SS CJ Abrams
CF Alex Call 

LHP Patrick Corbin

DODGERS
RF Mookie Betts
1B Freddie Freeman
C Will Smith
DH J.D. Martinez
3B Max Muncy
LF Chris Taylor
2B Miguel Vargas
SS Miguel Rojas
CF Trayce Thompson

RHP Noah Syndergaard