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Nationals' lineup vs the Dodgers in the series finale in Los Angeles...

Washington's Nationals try to stop a four-game losing streak in the series finale in Los Angeles, with Joe Ross on the hill for the Nats vs Dodgers' lefty Julio Urias in the Dodger Stadium. Will the Nationals avoid a season-high losing streak?

By Patrick Reddington
Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Washington's one hit in with a runner in scoring position last night was a single by Tanner Roark in the eighth, when he hit a ground ball to left. Unfortunately for the Nationals, slow-footed catcher Wilson Ramos was thrown out at home trying to score from second on the play.

Overall on the night, Nationals' hitters were 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position, with 10 runners left on base in what ended up a one-run loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"You start thinking worse, you get worse. So you don't think that. You just think, 'Put some more out there and then we'll get them in.'" -Dusty Baker on the Nats' struggles with RISP

Nats' skipper Dusty Baker was asked after the game if he lamented the missed opportunities throughout the game, even before the Dodgers rallied in the eighth with a three-run blast by Yasmani Grandal putting the home team up 3-2.

"Well, I was hoping not," Baker said. "You start thinking worse, you get worse. So you don't think that. You just think, 'Put some more out there and then we'll get them in.'

"Heck, we had like runners in scoring position the first four innings or something like that. We just couldn't get the hit. We hit a couple balls hard and [Anthony] Rendon hit a rocket to shortstop with a runner in scoring position.

"We've just got to get better at picking up the runners. I know the guys are trying. It's not because of lack of effort.

"We've just got to keep fighting. This is a tough stretch. We've lost some tough ballgames in the last four games, so we've got another ballgame tomorrow."

Washington's four consecutive losses matches their season-high losing streak. Nationals' hitters, as a group, have a .255 AVG as a team with runners in scoring position, good for 9th in the NL.

Asked if there was any advice he could offer his hitters when it comes to hitting with runners in scoring position, Baker said swinging early in the count is a good approach.

"I was taught you jump on them early in the count," he said. "Because they're trying to get ahead of you. And a lot of time that's going to be the first pitch to hit. We've just got to be more aggressive early in the count."

Here's the Nationals' lineup that will try to stop the four-game slide tonight in LA:

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