Over-rested relievers may have to work today (Nats up 5-2)

Nationals starters have averaged more than 6 1/2 innings pitched over the last 11 games, with only one starter failing to at least get through the sixth. That's a good thing, and it's no surprise it has helped this team go 8-3 during the stretch.

But it's also had a domino effect on the bullpen, which could be seen as positive or negative, depending on your point of view.

Needing only a couple of innings every night from his bullpen, and almost always with his team up a handful of runs, manager Davey Martinez has only needed to turn to a few of his best relievers to finish out games. Which means a bunch of relievers have been sitting around getting sporadic work, at best.

Five of the Nationals' current eight relievers enter today's game having had at least the last four days off: Tony Sipp, Matt Grace, Jonny Venters, Javy Guerra and Tanner Rainey. Venters has pitched only once in nine days since joining the team. Sipp has pitched only once in the last 10 days. Grace, whose heavy usage early in the season became an issue, has now had 11 days in a row off.

"It's hard, and these guys understand, to pitch everybody every day," Martinez said. "They've got to understand what their roles are. Granted, you don't ever want to have to sit a guy for two weeks. But when you're in a stretch like the way we're going right now, I think we're all on the same page: It's all about winning ballgames. And they understand."

Martinez has consistently turned to three late-inning relievers to close out games over the last few weeks: Fernando Rodney and Wander Suero have served as setup men, with Sean Doolittle closing.

The Nationals have managed to make that arrangement work, but they also know they can't keep going to the same well over and over. And today's game may provide an opportunity.

Doolittle has pitched each of the last two nights, including a taxing 33-pitch save Wednesday night. There's a good chance he'll be unavailable today. Rodney and Suero are the only other members of the 'pen to appear so far in this series.

So don't surprised if some less-familiar faces take the mound this afternoon, hoping they're still sharp despite their recent lack of game action.

"We've had guys throw off the mound to keep them going," Martinez said. "But some of these guys have had some much-needed rest, and they're ready to go. I don't know who's going to be available today, so these other guys are going to have to pitch today if the other guys can't be available. I've asked these guys to do a lot of different things, and they've all for the most part have done it."

Update: The fireworks show has started early here today. With a gametime temperature of 91, a heat index of 97 and a dew point of 74, the ball is flying. Miguel Rojas led things off with a homer to left off Aníbal Sánchez, then added another RBI in the second with the highly unusual 8-6 fielder's choice. That put the Nats in a 2-0 hole, but Kurt Suzuki did his part to slice that deficit in half when he blasted a solo homer in the bottom of the second. That extends the Nationals' home run streak to 18 games.

Update II: And the Nats aren't done launching the ball into the hot air today. Anthony Rendon has clubbed his 20th homer of the season, tying this game 2-2 after four. They had a chance to take the lead with the bases loaded and two out, but Martinez decided to let Sánchez bat for himself instead of going to a pinch-hitter. Sanchez struck out, so he's back to the mound now for the top of the fifth with his pitch count at 71.

Update III: This Rendon character is pretty good, huh? He just gave the Nationals a 3-2 lead with a sharp single up the middle to score Gerardo Parra (who doubled and took third on a wild pitch). It's Rendon's 60th RBI of the season. Pretty, pretty good.

Update IV: Gerardo Parra, man. Gerardo Parra. The Baby Shark may not produce a lot of hits, but when he does they're meaningful. He followed up his key double in the fifth with a two-out, two-run double in the sixth to extend the Nationals' lead to 5-2. That gives some much-needed cushion to the bullpen, which is now in action. Rainey is first man up, pitching the top of the seventh.