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Nationals' lineup for series finale with the Phillies: No Bryce Harper tonight in CBP

Bryce Harper is out of the lineup again as he nurses his bruised right knee. Washington Nationals' skipper Dusty Baker talked last night about the importance of having interchangeable parts on his bench who can fill in when necessary.

By Patrick Reddington
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Clint Robinson got a start in left field last night, with Bryce Harper out of the Washington Nationals' lineup with a right knee contusion following a hit-by-pitch on Monday night.

Robinson went 1 for 3 with a walk, leaving him with a .208/.304/.375 line, two doubles and two home runs in 30 games.

Stephen Drew came off the bench to hit a pinch hit inside-the-park homer, putting the Nationals up 5-1 over the Phillies in the second game of three in Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park.

Drew's home run was his third this season in 28 games, over which he has a .173/.228/.365 line.

Nationals' skipper Dusty Baker talked after the game about the production he's received from his bench players over the first two months of the season.

"My bench has been outstanding," Baker said. "I think we've got one of the better benches around. That's why we're not afraid to play anybody at any time."

Robinson, Drew, Chris Heisey, Michael A. Taylor (who started with Ben Revere out) and Jose Lobaton have filled in when necessary early this season and they've given Baker options when injuries like Harper's have come up.

"We have some interchangeable parts," Baker told reporters last night, "and we're going to have to use some of those parts tomorrow, probably, cause we don't know if Harp is going to be able to play or not, so we'll just go with who we think is the best matchup on that day."

Harper is not back in the lineup tonight, so Heisey is starting in left in the series finale.

Baker talked from the start this season about getting his regulars days off and getting his bench bats the necessary ABs to keep everyone on their game and healthy.

"It keeps them sharp," he said. "It keeps my regular guys rested. So tomorrow is a big day for us.

"We ended up with 16 victories in May and now it's June, it's just sort of weird to think that you can rip off two months of the calendar and one-third of the season is gone and we've got two-thirds to go, so it should be interesting and I hope we get better and better as the season goes on."

Here's the lineup Baker is sending out in Citizens Bank Park for the series finale with the Phillies:

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