Game 87: Nats at Red Sox

The Nationals face another left-hander in Connelly Early, while Cade Cavalli looks to pick up where he left off in his last start against the Phillies

BOSTON – The Nationals had little success against a Red Sox left-hander Monday night. How will they fare against another one tonight?

Boston is scheduled to start three straight lefties in this series. Ranger Suarez dominated in the opener (after giving up James Wood’s leadoff homer). Payton Tolle gets Wednesday afternoon’s finale. And tonight it’s Connelly Early, the 24-year-old Virginia native with a 3.36 ERA in 20 starts.

The Nats did see both Wood and Abrams enjoy some much-needed success at the plate Monday night, each of them snapping out of a recent mini-slump. They’ll hope that positive trend continues while the rest of the lineup rediscovers its potency after a sluggish performance in the first game at Fenway Park.

Cade Cavalli looks to continue what he did last time out against the Phillies, when Blake Butera complimented him for “doing what an ace does.” Even if Butera doesn’t get a comparable performance from Cavalli, he does have a fully fresh bullpen thanks to Miles Mikolas’ seven-inning start on Monday. Of course, we still don’t know who from that group can be counted upon in high-leverage situations, should it come to that.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at BOSTON RED SOX
Where: Fenway Park
Gametime: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Chance of rain early, 79 degrees, 10 mph out to left

NATIONALS
DH James Wood
1B Andrés Chaparro
3B Curtis Mead
SS CJ Abrams
RF Dylan Crews
CF Jacob Young
LF Daylen Lile
2B Nasim Nuñez
C Keibert Ruiz

RHP Cade Cavalli

RED SOX
2B Anthony Seigler
CF Ceddane Rafaela
RF Wilyer Abreu
1B Willson Contreras
LF Jarren Duran
DH Romy Gonzalez
3B Caleb Durbin
C Omar Narvaez
SS Tsung-Che Cheng

LHP Connelly Early