After Offensive Outburst, Nationals Look For Game Three Win Over Padres
By Pablo Roa
Apr 21, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Tanner Roark (57) throws during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
The Nationals didn’t have much time to dwell on they’re 11-1 victory over the Padres late Friday night as they’ll be back at it this afternoon for game three of the series. The team will look to keep the momentum going from last night’s offensive explosion in which they recorded 11 runs on a season-high 17 hits. But as the saying goes, momentum is only as good as the next day’s starting pitcher. And fortunately for the Nationals, today’s starter has been on a roll of late.
Tanner Roark will make his fifth start of the season as he looks to prove yet again that he deserves to stay in the rotation once Doug Fister returns from the disabled list. Roark is coming off one of the best performances of his career in which he gave up no runs over 6 2/3 innings against Mike Trout and the Angels. Roark has improved dramatically from his early season form and has allowed just three runs in his last 13 innings of work.
The Padres will counter with right-hander Andrew Cashner, who boasts a 2.10 ERA over five starts this season.
While the Nationals still have a stronger lineup than the Padres, they’ll be without one of the key pieces from Friday’s offensive renaissance. Bryce Harper, who jammed his left thumb sliding into third base after a bases-clearing triple in the third, will be held out of the lineup due to swelling in his thumb. Harper will visit a hand specialist at some point today and he could be available to pinch-hit.
Here are the lineups for today’s game:
Nationals:
Span CF
Rendon 3B
Werth RF
LaRoche 1B
Desmond SS
Espinosa 2B
Frandsen LF
Leon C
Roark P
Padres:
Cabrera SS
Denorfia LF
Venable RF
Gyorko 2B
Alonso 1B
Amarista CF
Peterson 3B
Rivera C
Cashner P