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The Washington Nationals are expected to be sellers when the trade deadline arrives at the end of the month. But while the club continues its rebuild, it remains in the hunt for a National League wild-card spot.

The Nationals can move closer to that berth on Saturday evening when they host the Cincinnati Reds in the second contest of a three-game series.

“Play good baseball, win games,” Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said. “And in the process, teach these young players how to win those close games.”

What looked as if it would be a blowout turned into a close game in the opener on Friday. The Nationals built a seven-run lead before holding on for an 8-5 win. They reside five games out of the third and final NL wild-card spot.

“When we get it going, it’s very fun,” first baseman Juan Yepez said. “This team has a lot of talent, and we’re looking good.”

Yepez extended his hitting streak to 11 games in the win. His three-run homer in the fifth inning was his second hit of the night, giving him four straight multi-hit games and raising his batting average to .390.

After a solid outing from Patrick Corbin to kick off the series — he gave up one run and three hits over six innings — Washington will hope for a similar effort from MacKenzie Gore (6-8, 4.01 ERA) on Saturday.

Gore hasn’t made it past the fifth inning in either of his past two starts, allowing a combined nine runs on nine hits. He took a loss in a 7-0 setback to the New York Mets on July 11.

The left-hander has fared well in limited career appearances against the Reds, going 2-0 with an 0.79 ERA in three games. He’s allowed one run on 10 hits in 11 1/3 innings vs. Cincinnati.

The Reds, meanwhile, are trying to stay in the mix and avoid becoming sellers.

They head into Saturday’s matchup having dropped two in a row after winning five of their previous six. They lost three straight from July 5-7, the only other time over the past month they’ve had such a losing streak.

Cincinnati is three games out of the final NL wild-card spot.

“I do not think you can or should play with any more importance in one game than the next,” manager David Bell said. “That’s not the way the game works. Every game has to be the most important game you play when you walk out on that field.”

Despite their inconsistencies this season, the Reds haven’t waned in their confidence.

“We’re going to make the playoffs, and we’re going to win it all,” shortstop Elly De La Cruz told the Cincinnati Enquirer.

The Reds had a quiet night at the plate on Friday. They had only four hits through eight innings before mustering four runs on three hits in the ninth.

“We came up short, and that’s obviously what matters, but when you’re down in a game, really the goal is to get the tying run up to the plate to give yourself an opportunity,” Bell said. “There was some really good at-bats there at the end there to put ourselves in that situation.”

Left-hander Nick Lodolo (8-3, 3.33 ERA) will be on the mound for Cincinnati on Saturday. He’s faced the Nationals once in his career, taking the loss while allowing three runs on five hits in seven innings on Aug. 28, 2022.

–Field Level Media