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Grapefruit League GameThread: Nationals vs Astros - Joe Ross vs Dallas Keuchel

The Washington Nationals welcome future Spring Training partners, the Houston Astros, to Space Coast Stadium for this afternoon's Grapefruit League matchup at 1:05 PM EDT. Joe Ross starts for the Nationals against Astros' left-hander Dallas Keuchel.

By Patrick Reddington
Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

Tie - Noun: In a game or another competitive situation where two teams end up with the same score.

In Spring Training baseball, or Grapefruit League action, ties actually happens sometimes. Sunday, in the Washington Nationals' matchup with the St. Louis Cardinals, it ended tied 4-4, leaving the Nats 8-3-1, though the standings on MLB.com don't have a column for tie games. That game happened!

We're over that now though, and ready for this afternoon's matchup with the Houston Astros, who visit Space Coast Stadium for a 1:05 PM EDT game which features Joe Ross and Dallas Keuchel on the hill at the start.

Also listed on the lineup card in the "Pitchers" section, Yusmeiro Petit, Felipe Rivero, Jonathan Papelbon, Michael Brady, Nick Lee, Aaron Laffey and more.

Nats' skipper Dusty Baker once again has an everyday-ish looking lineup with an aesthetically-pleasing, well-balanced L-R-L-R-L-R-L-R-R mix that features center fielder Ben Revere at the top after he took a fastball to his left shoulder while swinging at what was cruelly (though correctly) ruled strike three yesterday.

Here's the Nationals' lineup for this afternoon's Grapefruit League matchup with the Astros:

  1. Ben Revere - CF
  2. Anthony Rendon - 3B
  3. Bryce Harper - RF
  4. Ryan Zimmerman - DH
  5. Daniel Murphy - 2B
  6. Jayson Werth - LF
  7. Clint Robinson - 1B
  8. Wilson Ramos - C
  9. Brendan Ryan - SS
  10. Joe Ross - P

Ross makes his third appearance and second start of the Spring after giving up four hits, a walk and two earned runs in 2 ⅔ innings last time out against the Miami Marlins. No television today after we got spoiled with the moving images yesterday, but Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler are calling the action on 1580 AM WJFK.

Here is the full lineup card courtesy of Washington Post writer Chelsea Janes:

Game Time: 1:05 PM EDT; FOLLOW: WJFK 1580 AM in D.C.; MLB.com's At Bat app; Who's listening to the Nationals?

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