Ryan Zimmerman finds relief from big three-run homer

The way Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman's season has been going so far, the events surrounding his three-run homer yesterday were no surprise. Zimmerman has been hitting ropes this year with unlucky results. Sure, he has 22 strikeouts in 121 at-bats, but his .223 average isn't reflective of how well he has hit the ball.

After battling though seven pitches in his fifth inning at-bat, Zimmerman ripped a slider from Braves right-hander Julio Tehran into the flower bed just above the left field wall at Nationals Park. Relief, right? Not so fast. The bullet was hit so hard and escaped the field so fast that third base umpire Paul Schrieber originally called it a ground rule double on first look as the ball ricocheted back on to the warning track.

Nationals manager Matt Williams was quick out of the dugout and a brief review ensued before the call was properly overturned in Zimmerman's favor.

"I didn't see it, but for it to bounce that way it had to hit something besides the wall," Zimmerman said. "I'm just glad it didn't get robbed or not reviewed. It was just nice to have real hit and be rewarded for it."

Despite the unusually low average, Zimmerman still stands second on the Nats in RBIs (20) and total bases (46).

After injuries robbed him of most of last season, Zimmerman has yet to miss a game this year, persevering through a nagging bout of plantar fasciitis.

The 10-year veteran knows the way he and his ballclub have performed through the season's first few weeks is not what to expect as summer approaches. Now winners of nine of their last 11, the Nationals have finally reached one game above .500 for the first time all year.

"We obviously didn't play well at the beginning of the year but we're playing better now and playing the type of baseball that we expect ourselves to play," Zimmerman said. "Who knows if we can play this hot for the rest of the season? But that's what we're gonna try to do. It's a long season. There's gonna be a couple more times where we lose some games and don't play well. The big thing is to keep grinding and keep working and get through those times and get to these points where we are playing well."

Zimmerman and shortstop Ian Desmond were able to spend some time with the legendary Frank Robinson before yesterday's game. The two are the only remaining Nats players from Robinson's years as manager of the team. The Nationals honored Robinson by unveiling his name in the Ring of Honor at Nationals Park. Shortly after, Desmond caught the ceremonial first pitch from the Hall of Famer.

"It was awesome," Desmond said. "Got some time with him in the cage, not hitting but talking to him before the game. He's just so awesome. He's going to be 80 and he still has so much to offer. He offers it willingly. He's just an awesome guy, and that's why I try to wear his number, humbly, obviously. I told him, I said, 'Hey man, anytime you want me to take this number off my back, I will.' And he told me, 'No, if it ever gets retired here, I want you to wear it.'

"So it was really cool talking to him. Obviously, every time you talk to him you just try to get a little piece of the wisdom he's got in there. I just can't say enough good things about him. I really do love the guy."