Game 99: Nats at A's

A very different-looking lineup will try to pick up where Friday night's group left off during a 23-run explosion in Sacramento

Hope everyone is well-rested after Friday night’s jaw-dropping performance by the Nationals lineup, which matched the second-highest scoring output in club history by beating the Athletics, 23-4. Now, what do they have in store for us late tonight in Sacramento?

If you were expecting a carbon-copy lineup from Blake Butera, you haven’t been paying attention this season. The Nats manager doesn’t create batting orders based on how anybody did the night before. He creates them based on what he (and, to be honest, the front office) believes will be best for that particular night’s matchup. And with right-hander J.T. Ginn on the mound for the A’s instead of lefty Gage Jump, it’s a completely different order.

Friday night’s wildly productive 2-3 combo of Curtis Mead and Andrés Chaparro is on the bench, replaced by Luis García Jr. and José Tena, who gets the nod in the No. 3 spot despite his less-than-exciting overall numbers. Keibert Ruiz is catching and batting fifth, with Harry Ford taking a seat following his impressive debut. And Dylan Crews, who was the only member of Friday’s lineup not to record at least one hit by the sixth inning (he eventually doubled in the ninth), drops to the No. 9 spot.

Zack Littell will start for the Nationals after all, with Butera choosing not to use an opener. The veteran right-hander faces a real challenge in keeping the ball inside the bandbox that is Sutter Health Park, given his home run woes this season. But the bullpen is fresh, so there’s nothing to stop Butera from making a move at the first sign of trouble if he so desires.

As you know by now, I’m not in Sacramento this weekend. But as was the case last night, I’ll publish an Instant Analysis piece after the game ends. So if you don’t intend to stay up late to watch the whole thing, rest easy knowing you can read all about it in the morning.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at (DON’T CALL THEM SACRAMENTO) ATHLETICS
Where: Sutter Health Park
Gametime: 10:05 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Clear, 87 degrees, wind 10 mph out to left

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

RHP Zack Littell

ATHLETICS
SS Jacob Wilson
LF Tyler Soderstrom
C Shea Langeliers
RF Carlos Cortes
3B Joshua Kuroda-Grauer
2B Donovan Walton
DH Jonah Heim
CF Lawrence Butler
1B Jeff McNeil

RHP J.T. Ginn