Game 52: Orioles at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Nate Karns and Kevin Gausman face off tonight at Nationals Park.

Neither team designed it this way, but circumstances dictated that the Nationals and Orioles will each be sending rookie right-handers to the mound for the second game of their interleague series. Neither Nate Karns nor Kevin Gausman had pitched above Class AA prior to this season, and neither spent a day at Class AAA before getting promoted to the big leagues (Gausman's call-up coming five days before Karns).

So it should be a good matchup between these two young fireballers. One thing to watch in particular: How do they fare against the opposing lineups the second time around? Gausman struggled in that department last Thursday in Toronto. We'll see if he's made an adjustment, and we'll see if Karns is able to overcome that issue against a very tough Baltimore lineup.

Bryce Harper once again is out of the Nationals' lineup. Davey Johnson is going with the same group that yesterday produced only two runs, hoping to get a little more thunder against Gausman.

Updates to come, please check back...

BALTIMORE ORIOLES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), WTEM (980 AM), XM 184
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 78 degrees, Wind 7 mph out to LF

NATIONALS (26-25)
CF Denard Span
2B Steve Lombardozzi
3B Ryan Zimmmerman
1B Adam LaRoche