Suzuki catches, Kendrick plays second, Parra breaks out

These final games of the regular season are, first and foremost, about trying to lock up home field advantage for the wild card game, which the Nationals can now do if they simply win one of their two remaining games against the Indians.

But they're also about putting everyone in the best possible position heading into Tuesday night's winner-take-all game against either the Brewers or Cardinals. Which means there's a concerted effort right now to give all the key participants whatever playing time they need to get right and get ready for what lies ahead.

Friday night's 8-2 win over Cleveland was a good example.

The Nationals lineup included Kurt Suzuki behind the plate for the first time since Sept. 7, Howie Kendrick at second base for the first time since Sept. 6 and Gerardo Parra starting for the second straight day as he tried to snap out of a prolonged slump. All emerged with encouraging results.

Suzuki, who has been battling a bad elbow, wound up playing all nine innings, which wasn't necessarily the plan going in. The 35-year-old catcher was in a good groove with the pitching staff, though, and he wanted to stay in the game.

He was hoping to get a chance to test out his arm, but the Indians had only three baserunners in the game, and only one of those hit a single. So there was never an opportunity for a stolen base attempt.

"I'm fine," he said. "I threw (down to second base) between innings. Just getting it there is always a step forward in the process. Just throwing it back to the pitcher, I felt pretty good. So obviously would've liked to throw down hard with somebody stealing, but I don't think I need to."

Suzuki, who went 1-for-3 with a walk at the plate and twice scored from first base on doubles, is expected to be back in Saturday's lineup. If everything goes well, he could start Tuesday night as Max Scherzer's batterymate.

"Obviously it'd be awesome to catch," he said. "But whatever they decide."

Kendrick's first start at second base in three weeks didn't register a whole lot of attention, but it was perhaps a sign Davey Martinez is thinking about using him there at some point in the postseason. By now it's clear Kendrick is going to start as many games as he physically can; his bat is just too important in the No. 5 spot in the lineup. If he can play second base at times, it then opens up first base for Matt Adams or Ryan Zimmerman.

"It could happen," Martinez said. "So I want to make sure he could get his reps at second as well."

Kendrick showed off some defensive skills Friday, ranging far to his right to snag a second-inning chopper by Yasiel Puig, then throwing across his body for the out at first.

Parra, meanwhile, got his ice-cold bat going again over the last 48 hours. Stuck in a 3-for-51 slump that dated more than a month, he got back-to-back starts Thursday and Friday and responded with four hits in his last four at-bats, with a homer, a two-run double and a sacrifice fly.

One big night isn't going to guarantee Parra turns things around, but the consistent at-bats now could help him feel more comfortable at the plate if he's needed to pinch-hit Tuesday night or beyond.

"I want to get him going, because he's going to have a big at-bat in this postseason, and I know he will," Martinez said. "We have to get all these guys going - him, Zim, Matty. All of them need to get their at-bats here in the next three days, and we have to get them going."