Game 86 lineups: Nats vs. Marlins

There is nothing like baseball in Washington on July 4. And when that also coincides with the home team sitting in playoff position for the first time all season ... well, how does it get much better than that?

Yes, the Nationals woke up this morning tied with the Cubs for the second wild card spot in the National League. A mere six weeks after falling to 12 games below .500, the second-worst record in the NL, they now own the fifth-best record in the league. Quite a turnaround.

And they can continue it today with yet another win over the Marlins, completing their second series sweep of Miami in the last week-plus. We've finally got a new pitching matchup for the first time in this series, with Aníbal Sánchez facing Elieser Hernandez.

Sánchez, who many years back pitched a no-hitter for the Marlins, faces them for the second time this season. He took the loss on April 19, giving up three runs in 5 1/3 innings. The veteran, of course, has been on a tear since returning from his hamstring injury in May. Over his last six starts, he's 4-0 with a 2.29 ERA.

Hernandez makes his 11th career start for Miami, his second against the Nationals. The young right-hander allowed two runs in five innings last year, but he has faced them five more times out of the bullpen. The Nats lineup has all the usual suspects except for Adam Eaton, who gets the day off. It's Gerardo Parra in right field and batting second.

MIAMI MARLINS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 11:05 a.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 1500 AM, MLB.com
Weather: Chance of storms, 87 degrees, wind 6 mph in from right field

NATIONALS (44-41)
SS Trea Turner
RF Gerardo Parra
3B Anthony Rendon
LF Juan Soto
1B Ryan Zimmerman
C Kurt Suzuki
2B Brian Dozier
CF Victor Robles
RHP Aníbal Sánchez

MARLINS (32-52)
SS Miguel Rojas
RF César Puello
1B Garrett Cooper
2B Starlin Castro
C Jorge Alfaro
LF Harold Ramirez
CF JT Riddle
3B Yadiel Rivera
RHP Elieser Hernandez