Game 22 lineups: Nats at Braves

In spite of all their issues - and they have plenty - the Nationals can win a road series against the Braves with a victory tonight and move to within two games of first place in the National League East. Truth be told, they should already have won this series and were one out away from doing it. This doesn't mean everything's perfect in NatsTown. But it does serve as a reminder things aren't always as bad as they seem.

There's still a significant challenge ahead tonight in the series finale at Truist Park. Erick Fedde has got to both pitch well and give some reasonable length to give the Nats bullpen a little bit of a break. Daniel Hudson, who has pitched three days in a row, certainly won't be available to close. Will Harris and Dakota Bacus each pitched in the first two games of the series, so you'd think Davey Martinez wants to avoid both tonight. Tanner Rainey got last night off, so he may well be the choice for the ninth inning (if it comes to that).

The Nationals lineup again is without Howie Kendrick, sidelined for the fifth consecutive day with tight hamstrings. Yan Gomes gets a rare opportunity to bat fifth, behind the red-hot Juan Soto and AsdrÃºbal Cabrera. You have to think the veteran catcher will come up to bat with runners in scoring position more than once tonight.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at ATLANTA BRAVES
Where: Truist Park
Gametime: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, ESPN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Chance of storms, 80 degrees, wind 6 mph in from left field

NATIONALS
SS Trea Turner
RF Adam Eaton
LF Juan Soto
1B AsdrÃºbal Cabrera
C Yan Gomes
2B Luis GarcÃa
3B Carter Kieboom
DH Eric Thames
CF Victor Robles

RHP Erick Fedde

BRAVES
SS Dansby Swanson
1B Freddie Freeman
DH Marcell Ozuna
RF Adam Duvall
3B Austin Riley
2B Johan Camargo
C Tyler Flowers
CF Ender Inciarte
LF Cristian Pache

RHP Kyle Wright