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LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers are back home, opening up a nine-game homestand with a three-game series against the Nationals, currently one game ahead of them for the best record in the National League. In the series opener, a slumping Yasiel Puig drops to sixth in the batting order.
Puig is in a 2-for-29 slump and ended August hitting .216/.296/.247 with no home runs and four RBI.
He is batting sixth for the first time in his career, the lowest he has ever been in a starting lineup. His previous lowest was five career starts batting fifth, where he was on Saturday in San Diego.
The Dodgers have their standard lineup otherwise, with Scott Van Slyke starting in left field and batting fifth against the left-handed Gio Gonzalez.
The Dodgers own the best record in baseball against left-handed starters at 23-11, including 16 wins in their last 19 games against southpaws.