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Nationals' lineup vs the Padres: Bryce Harper sits in series finale in D.C.

Dusty Baker talked last night about the contributions from his bench and the need to get Washington Nationals' leadoff man Ben Revere going. Revere gets the day off today after a good night at the plate, with a lefty on the mound for San Diego.

By Patrick Reddington
Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Stephen Drew came up with last night's big hit, a walk-off triple in the bottom ninth that gave the Washington Nationals a split of the first two games of their three-game set with the San Diego Padres and set up today's rubber match.

Ben Revere, who's struggled at the plate this season after injuring his oblique on Opening Day, went 1 for 3 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI in what ended up a 3-2 win.

Nationals' skipper Dusty Bake talked after the game about the contributions from his bench players and his leadoff man and how important both are to the success of the team as a whole.

"You've got to give Mike Rizzo and the front office staff [credit]," Baker said, in discussing the bench the Nationals put together.

"I didn't know some of these bench guys. I had had [Chris] Heisey. I had seen Stephen Drew, but I hadn't seen him in a few years because he was in the American League and he had gotten hurt. I didn't know [Clint] Robinson.

"I didn't know [Jose] Lobaton. And so the bench guys have been wonderful, they've done a great job for us."

Baker talked extensively before Saturday night's game about why it's important for Revere to turn things around after he's struggled to this point and how big it would be if the Nationals' leadoff man could get going.

He told reporters after the game that he hoped Revere's positive game could get him going.

"He had a walk and scored a run and drove in the big run for us, the tying run," Baker said.

"Hopefully this will help his confidence, big time, because he's been down. When a guy is used to hitting and he's not hitting, it can be a tremendous downer. I don't know if any of you went through that, but you really don't feel like you have any friends, so I'm just glad to see Ben get some hits and contribute."

Neither Drew, who's been dealing with flu-like symptoms all week, or Revere are in the lineup this afternoon. Neither is Bryce Harper, who gets a rare day off against Padres' left-hander Christian Friedrich.

Here's the lineup for this afternoon's series finale with San Diego in D.C.:

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