Today at 12: 40 p.m. ET, the Washington Nationals (57-47) and Miami Marlins (53-53) take the field at Marlins Park for the final contest of a three-game series live from Miami. The game can be live streamed here. Washington fans can hear all of the action on WFED 1500 while Miami fans can do the same on 940 WINZ.
Washington closes out a nine-game road trip it is 4-4 on thus far and looks to avoid its third straight loss while Miami looks for the sweep and their sixth straight victory in the third contest of a seven-game homestand. The Marlins took the first two meetings with the Nationals in this series with a 7-6 victory on Monday and a 3-0 triumph on Tuesday.
Washington enters play atop the National League East with a half-game lead on the Atlanta Braves while Miami sits in third place, five games behind their opponent.
Tanner Roark (10-6, 2.82 ERA) mans the mound for the Nationals while the Marlins counter with Brad Hand, who is 2-2 with a 4.19 ERA.
Roark takes the ball as perhaps the most dependable starter the Nationals have had all year.
"He has the ability to throw any pitch at any count for a strike. If he doesn't have one [pitch working], he can go to other pitches," Nationals manager Matt Williams told MLB.com about Roark. "That's the art of pitching. He just continues to pound the strike zone. He gives us a chance every time he goes out there."
Roark looks to shut down a Miami lineup that is flanked by Giancarlo Stanton, who leads the NL with 71 RBI and is second in the league with 23 homers. Stanton also ranks third in total bases (212) and fifth in on-base percentage (.393), slugging percentage (.535) and OPS (.928).
Joining Stanton in the potent Marlins lineup is Casey McGehee, who is hitting .307 with two homers and 59 RBI and ranks third in the NL with 125 hits.
Miami hopes that Hand will continue to be able to command his pitches to enable longevity in the game.
"That's the key, keep pitches down," Redmond said via MLB.com. "That's better for everybody. That's great for the bullpen. That helps develop these guys as starters. The goal is to get six, seven innings out of the starter, not four or five."
Roark will look to stop a Washington lineup that is led by shortstop Ian Desmond, who paces the team with 17 homers and 62 RBI. Outfielder Denard Span leads the Nationals with a .287 batting average while second baseman Anthony Rendon leads the NL with 74 runs.
The Marlins look for the sweep while the Nationals hope to salvage the final game when the teams take the field for a matinee clash at Marlins Park in Miami.
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