Despite lineup not completely in tune, Nats are 2-0

The lineup is not clicking on all cylinders, yet the Nationals are 2-0, courtesy of two comeback wins over the Marlins.

On Monday, the Nationals got a pinch-hit two-run homer from Adam Lind in a 4-2 win.

On Wednesday, the Nationals plated four runs in the fourth inning to top the Marlins 6-4.

But even with 11 hits on the board in Game 2, there was Trea Turner and Anthony Rendon going 0-for-4.

Even with Daniel Murphy going 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, manager Dusty Baker admits his second baseman may not quite be where he wants to be after an abbreviated spring training thanks to the World Baseball Classic.

"He's still not right 100 percent, even though you're getting hits," Baker said. "We'll take whatever he can give us until he is sharp. But he's getting sharper. He's getting sharper daily. You can tell. The first game or two back he was getting fooled by some of those breaking balls. Now he's not going for them. He hit a couple breaking balls very well. As long as some of the other guys pick it up as well, the bottom of our order's picking it up."

Murphy said it helps when he can hit after Adam Eaton and Bryce Harper generate offense in front of him. It changes the pitches he sees.

"I can tell you it's a lot more fun to hit with Bryce on base and Adam on base all the time," Murphy said. "Those guys are some kind of locked in right now. I'm feeling pretty good in there right now. Slow and steady."

But the bottom of the order didn't connect in Game 1. Jayson Werth and Stephen Drew struggled. But Werth got two hits Wednesday, even with the first one aided by a Christian Yelich misplay in center field.

In the 6-4 win last night, the bottom of the order delivered thanks to Matt Wieters, who went 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Wieters' key hit was a single between shortstop and third base with the bases loaded that scored two runs in the fourth-inning rally.

"Still trying to get a good pitch to hit," Wieters said of the at-bat. "I think with the left side open, that freed me up a little bit to be able to poke something that way. No matter what, even if Dietrich gets that ball, it would have been a tough ball to turn a double play on. I think that would have driven in at least one. It just happened to get through and got two."

It helped that Wieters stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. Normally hitting in the eight spot in the National League means you don't see a pitch to hit because the pitcher's spot is due up after you. Baker said he has talked to Wieters about the strategy in that spot because his catcher is so used to hitting with a position player behind him in the American League.

"Yeah. We've had conversations," Baker said. "It is a bit of an adjustment with the pitcher hitting behind him versus I think in the American League, I think he hit eighth or ninth, but he had a position player hitting behind him. He's a smart man. He knows what to do. He has a pretty good idea of the strike zone. He doesn't try to do too much. It's good to see him turn the corner as far as his timing is concerned. He was battling rust in spring training, and it looks like he's on his way."

Even with the offense not running well on all cylinders, they still have generated 10 runs and enough to win their first two games. Ryan Zimmerman said one reason is the quality of depth they have on the club offensively. It can be a different hero each night because they can all hit.

"We have a good group of guys, lot of professional hitters that grind out at-bats and don't give away at-bats and make it hard for the pitcher to do what he wants to do," Zimmerman said. "Foul off good pitches and when you have that one through eight, it's not easy for the other side. So I think we take pride in that and we sort of feed off each other side."