PITTSBURGH – It is an absolutely beautiful afternoon here along the banks of the Allegheny River. Could get a little chilly tonight, but the skies are clear and the vista of downtown and the Clemente Bridge beyond PNC Park is as good as it gets.

The Nationals open a four-game weekend series against the Pirates, hoping to keep the positive momentum they generated in Atlanta going. After seven straight with the Mets and Braves to begin the season, they now get eight straight against the Pirates and Diamondbacks. Perhaps an opportunity to make some headway against lesser competition.

Joan Adon makes his second start of the season, his third as a big leaguer. The kid carried a shutout into the fifth inning against New York before fading. We’ll see if his stamina is built up a bit more now and he can complete that second trip through the lineup.

The lineup that will face Pittsburgh right-hander J.T. Brubaker includes Yadiel Hernandez in left field and Dee Strange-Gordon in center. So that means both Lane Thomas and Victor Robles are sitting. Everything else looks normal, including Nelson Cruz back in the lineup for the second straight day, so his groin must be feeling fine.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Where: PNC Park
Gametime: 6:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, MLB.com
Weather: Clear, 60 degrees, wind 12 mph out to left field

The Nationals have added to their infield depth, claiming Lucius Fox off waivers from the Orioles and signing former Blue Jays shortstop Richard Ureña to a minor league contract. Fox immediately joins the Nats' 40-man roster, which for the moment is full. That very well could change by the end of the day if the club chooses not to tender contracts to any of their nine unsigned arbitration-eligible players before the league's 8 p.m. deadline. Fox was acquired only two weeks ago by the...

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