NLDS Game 2 lineups: Nats vs. Dodgers

It's a gray, dreary afternoon in the District, perhaps appropriate given the mood around here after last night's frustrating 4-3 loss in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. The Nationals are basically in must-win territory today in Game 2, not a position they want to be in, but the position they find themselves in regardless.

Tanner Roark, though, is a good person to have on the mound for a situation like this. You know Roark isn't going to let the pressure get to him. And you have to feel as confident as possible that he's going to provide both innings and enough effectiveness to give his team a chance to win this game and knot the best-of-five series.

The Nationals lineup, then, is going to need to scratch out some runs against Rich Hill, the crafty left-hander who has seemingly come out of nowhere in the last year to be a highly effective pitcher. Dusty Baker is going with the same lineup as last night, with one exception: Jose Lobaton will catch and bat eighth instead of Pedro Severino. Severino had a solid Game 1 at the plate, but you wonder if Baker might prefer Lobaton's game-calling abilities over that.

Danny Espinosa, who had a miserable night at the plate, is back in there today, batting seventh. Baker was asked rather directly to explain that decision, and the manager offered a rather direct reply: "Who else do I have? That's my answer. I mean, you can give me somebody better, then I can play somebody instead of him. You know, certain times, you have certain people on your team, and that's what you've got. My job is to hopefully get the most out of them and make them better."

About the weather ... it's been raining all morning and into the early afternoon, though the forecast does show it tapering off later this afternoon. It's possible the start of the game could be impacted, but this doesn't appear to be something that will linger much longer than that.

NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES - GAME 2
LOS ANGELES DODGERS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 4:08 p.m. EDT
TV: FS1, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, 570 AM, XM 80/89, MLB.com
Weather: Rain ending, 65 degrees, wind 6 mph in from center field

NATIONALS
CF Trea Turner
RF Bryce Harper
LF Jayson Werth
2B Daniel Murphy
3B Anthony Rendon
1B Ryan Zimmerman
SS Danny Espinosa
C Jose Lobaton
RHP Tanner Roark

DODGERS
2B Chase Utley
SS Corey Seager
3B Justin Turner
1B Adrian Gonzalez
RF Josh Reddick
CF Joc Pederson
C Yasmani Grandal
LF Andrew Toles
LHP Rich Hill