Game 72: Mariners at Nats

PJ Poulin will open for Miles Mikolas, and Dylan Crews will bat third for the first time this season as the Nationals try to win another series

The Nationals enjoyed a much-needed, bounce-back win Saturday afternoon, the offense coming back to life to take the middle game of the weekend series. Which now gives them a shot at another series win if they can emerge victorious today against the Mariners.

It’s a Miles Mikolas day, which means it’s an opener day. Fortunately, the Nats have PJ Poulin back on the roster, so Blake Butera will hand the ball to the left-hander for at least the first inning before entrusting matters to Mikolas. This is the eighth time Poulin has opened, and he’s been quite effective in that role, allowing just two runs (both via solo homers) over 9 1/3 innings.

Mikolas, meanwhile, is coming off a dominant outing in San Francisco in which he tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings before getting pulled with his pitch count only up to 54. The big question today: How far will Butera let Mikolas go, even if he’s pitching well, and will Mitchell Parker appear out of the bullpen behind him to combat the six left-handed batters in Seattle’s lineup?

Seattle starter Emerson Hancock makes his 45th career start today, and he’s taken a major step forward this season. The 27-year-old right-hander is 5-2 with a 2.74 ERA and 0.952 WHIP. The Nationals better be ready to swing, because he’s issued only 17 walks in 75 2/3 innings. Butera has some new wrinkles to his lineup, most notably Dylan Crews bumped up to the No. 3 spot following a solid performance Saturday that included an RBI single, some great baserunning and a spectacular catch in center field.

For those watching today on Nationals TV: Dan Kolko has the day off. Veteran MLB announcer Paul Severino will handle the play-by-play duties with Kevin Frandsen in his usual analyst role.

SEATTLE MARINERS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Partly cloudy, 92 degrees, wind 13 mph out to center

MARINERS
2B Cole Young
DH Julio Rodriguez
1B Josh Naylor
LF Luke Raley
RF Dominic Canzone
CF Victor Robles
3B Miles Mastrobuoni
C Jhonny Pereda
SS Colt Emerson

RHP Emerson Hancock

NATIONALS
DH James Wood
1B Luis García Jr.
RF Dylan Crews
SS CJ Abrams
C Keibert Ruiz
LF Daylen Lile
2B Nasim Nuñez
3B Jorbit Vivas
CF Jacob Young

LHP PJ Poulin