The Nationals and Twins are set to play the rubber match of their three-game series at 1:05 P.M. in the nation’s capital. Jake Irvin will take the mound against Simeon Woods Richardson, who’s struggled of late entering this one.

The Nationals responded to Tuesday’s blowout loss in emphatic fashion Wednesday night, routing the Twins 15-2 behind a massive night from CJ Abrams and another offensive outburst. Abrams finished with three hits, including a grand slam in the eighth inning, while driving in five runs. Brady House, Drew Millas, and José Tena all homered as Washington piled up 14 hits and scored in five different innings. After Minnesota briefly took a 2-1 lead on Matt Wallner’s solo homer in the fifth, the Nationals answered immediately when Millas launched a two-run shot to center. Washington then broke the game open with a three-run sixth, a two-run seventh highlighted by House’s 425-foot homer, and a six-run eighth capped by Abrams’ slam and Tena’s solo blast. James Wood added two hits and a two-run single, while Jacob Young reached base three times and scored four runs.

Miles Mikolas turned in another steady outing, allowing two runs over 5 1/3 innings before turning the game over to Mitchell Parker and the bullpen, which combined to hold Minnesota to just three hits overall. Wallner accounted for two of those, including the Twins’ lone extra-base hit. Washington’s pitching staff struck out seven and retired 13 of the final 15 batters faced as the game quickly shifted from competitive to lopsided. The win continued a strange recent trend for the Nationals, whose identity has quietly flipped over the last two weeks. Wednesday, though, looked much more like the early-season version of the lineup: loud contact, traffic on the bases, and crooked numbers throughout the night.

On Deck…

Following today’s game, the Nationals will board a flight to Miami for a three-game set with the Marlins. On Friday, it will be Robby Snelling facing off against Foster Griffin in the 7:10 P.M. opener.

In the hole…

That series will continue on Saturday, as Janson Junk is set to go up with Zack Littell, perhaps with an opener as they did for him in his last outing.