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One night after the Phillies beat the Nats and clinched the N.L. East title for the fourth year in a row, the two teams get set for game No. 2 of this three-game set. Roy Oswalt (13-13, 2.80 ERA) goes for Philadelphia against Jason Marquis (2-9, 7.18 ERA), making his final start of a frustrating 2010 season.

Some pregame news: Washington manager Jim Riggleman said he doesn’t see second baseman Danny Espinosa as a leadoff candidate for 2011. In that respect, he is batting sixth tonight with Nyjer Morgan back in the No. 1 spot. More on that in a blog post later.

Nats general manager Mike Rizzo said catcher Jesus Flores is making good progress in the organization’s instructional league. Out since May, 2009 with a shoulder injury, Flores has finally begun playing in games down in Viera, Fla. at the spring-training complex, catching six innings on Monday night.

“I still see him as frontline catching prospect and when he’s healthy he’s proven he can be an everyday catcher in the big leagues,” Rizzo said.

No word on No. 1 overall draft pick Bryce Harper getting sent to the Arizona Fall League yet. Rizzo says he’ll take his time making that decision – and has until the league schedule ends in early November to get Harper some at-bats there, if the organization chooses.

Meanwhile, Rizzo says pitcher Chien-Ming Wang will pitch in some instructional league games and then be re-evaluated. He even conceded there’s a chance Wang could pitch in winter ball in Latin America. But they’re still a ways from that kind of decision.

Rizzo would not comment on reports that the Nats have decided not to resign first baseman Adam Dunn. Here are tonight’s lineups:

Phillies:

Rollins – SS

Ibanez – LF

Utley – 2B

Howard – 1B

Francisco – CF

Brown – RF

Dobbs – 3B

Schneider – C

Oswalt – SP

 

Nationals:

Morgan – CF

Bernadina – LF

Desmond – SS

Dunn – 1B

Morse – RF

Espinosa – 2B

Rodriguez – C

Gonzalez – 3B

Marquis – SP

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