Game 82 lineups: Nats at Cardinals

ST. LOUIS - The Nationals need a win tonight to avoid getting swept by the Cardinals and dropping their sixth game in the last eight days. The good news: They have Max Scherzer on the mound. The bad news: They'll be facing Carlos Martínez, with something less than their "A" lineup.

Scherzer brings his league-best 2.06 ERA, 0.783 WHIP and 151 strikeouts to his hometown, looking to carry his dominant success from June into July. He has pitched quite well against the Cardinals during his three seasons with the Nationals, but has little to show for it. Despite a 2.73 ERA in five starts, his record is only 1-3.

Martínez is one of the game's most dynamic young right-handers, but the Nats have had success against him. Martínez has faced them five times (including one start earlier this year) and his ERA against them is 6.10. The Nationals will have a lineup tonight, however, without Trea Turner, Adam Eaton or Jayson Werth (all injured) or Ryan Zimmerman or Stephen Drew (given the night off after starting the first two games of the series).

Reminder that tonight's game starts after 8 p.m. EDT on ESPN. You'll want to tune in at 7 p.m., though, when the All-Star rosters are officially announced. The Nationals have seven legitimate candidates in Zimmerman, Scherzer, Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, Anthony Rendon, Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez. We'll see how many of them are selected, and be sure to check the blog later for the full clubhouse reaction to the choices.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Where: Busch Stadium
Gametime: 8:08 p.m. EDT
TV: ESPN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 1500 AM, XM 89/869, MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 90 degrees, wind 6 mph right field to left field

NATIONALS (47-34)
LF Brian Goodwin
CF Michael A. Taylor
RF Bryce Harper
2B Daniel Murphy
3B Anthony Rendon
1B Adam Lind
C Matt Wieters
SS Wilmer Difo
RHP Max Scherzer

CARDINALS (39-41)
1B Matt Carpenter
CF Tommy Pham
RF Stephen Piscotty
3B Jedd Gyorko
C Yadier Molina
LF Randal Grichuk
2B Greg Garcia
SS Alex Mejia
RHP Carlos Martínez