Game 111: Nats at Brewers

Photo by USA Today

In a season where the Nats have hovered consistently around the .500 mark, there have been many ups and downs. But for some reason, lately it seems the peaks and valleys have been more extreme. They win three straight, then they lose two at Detroit and panic ensues. Now the Nats are back to winning with two consecutive victories out in Milwaukee and a chance for a sweep on Sunday.

Today the Nats will trot out RHP Taylor Jordan (1-3, 3.31 ERA) who is coming off his first major league win, a dominant start against the Mets in which he allowed just one run over six innings of work. Jordan is making just his seventh major league start, but his second against the Brewers. The rookie threw 5 2/3 innings with two runs allowed in a Nats' win on July 4.

Pitching for the Brew Crew is veteran right-hander Kyle Lohse. Signed late in the offseason as a free agent, Lohse has pulled together a pretty nice year for Milwaukee. Through 134 1/3 innings in 2013 he boasts a 3.22 ERA and a 7-7 record. In an overall struggling staff this year, Lohse has been Milwaukee's best starter. He pitched eight innings with just one earned run against the Nats on July 3.

Enjoy the game...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Where: Miller Park
Gametime: 2:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv (free today)
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 869
Weather: Sunny, 71 degrees, Wind 7 mph out to RF

NATIONALS (54-56)
CF Denard Span
LF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Jayson Werth
1B Adam LaRoche
SS Ian Desmond
2B Steve Lombardozzi
C Kurt Suzuki
RHP Taylor Jordan 

Election Day Nats poll

Associated Press photo

More than 100 million Americans are expected to vote today.

All across the United States today -- in big cities and small towns, in schools and in churches, in battleground states and in states where the outcome has long been known -- Americans will perform the simplest, yet most important act of democracy: They'll vote.

It's not officially a national holiday, but it might as well be one. Because on this day, more than 100 million citizens will stand in line at polling places and decide who will lead this country for the next four years.

I sincerely hope that every one of you who is registered to vote will do so, no matter which candidate you prefer. I also hope (to a lesser extent) you'll complete our own little Nats Insider Election Day Ballot.

We've come up with the most important questions facing the

The Nats' possible free agent targets

US Presswire photo

Could the Nationals splurge for right-hander Zack Greinke?

While most of the sporting public spent the weekend watching football and perfecting the art of changing channels the moment yet another incessant campaign ad overtook their TV screens, baseball's free agency period officially opened for business.

You most likely didn't hear a whole lot about it, because as anyone who follows baseball knows, no free agents actually sign the moment free agency begins. This isn't the NFL, and Ted Lerner didn't have his private jet gassed up and ready to hit the skies at 12:01 a.m. Saturday in pursuit of the Nationals' top target.

No, baseball operates at a slower, more calculated pace than other sports on the field, and the same holds true off the field over the winter. Players want to test the market and see just how many teams are willing to pay how much for their services. And general managers want to wait and see just how things play out around them and not overpay in a fruitless effort to pounce on a guy before he has a chance to talk to anyone else.

Truth be told, the Hot Stove League won't really kick into high gear for several more weeks, not until the Winter Meetings (Dec. 3-6 in Nashville) draws closer. But any good GM has already put together his wish list and knows what he's looking for well before the holiday shopping season arrives, and Mike Rizzo is no different. The