Dozier finally rewarded for extra work with first Nats homer

PHILADELPHIA - Brian Dozier has been in the big leagues for eight years, and during that time he's hit 173 homers, been an All-Star and three times received MVP votes. So he's not the type to panic over a season-opening slump.

And yet when he stepped to the plate in the top of the ninth Monday night, Dozier couldn't avoid the giant picture of his face on the Citizens Bank Park scoreboard and the number .071 residing next to it.

"Playing a number of years, you know you can have a bad week or something in August and it doesn't really mean that much," he said. "But when it gets off to a bad week at the beginning, it kind of gets scrutinized. But look up and if it's the same thing in October, then we'll talk. We'll be fine."

Dozier can afford to express confidence because of his track record. But he also knew he was going to have to deliver one of these days. So while his leadoff homer in the ninth Monday night wasn't enough to propel the Nationals to victory, it was perhaps enough to get the veteran second baseman going at last.

"I sure hope so, don't you?" he said, looking at the reporter who asked the question. "Yeah, I think we'll be all right."

It's been a rough first two weeks for Dozier with his new club. He opened the season batting seventh, then was bumped up to the No. 2 spot after Trea Turner broke his finger. Manager Davey Martinez's thinking: Dozier would probably see more fastballs in that position, perhaps helping him get going.

He didn't get going, though, not over the weekend in New York. And on Sunday, Dozier got his first day off, with the recently activated Howie Kendrick making his first start of the season at second base.

Martinez put Dozier right back in the lineup Monday, though, and again hoped for the best. It didn't happen until the ninth inning, but there were early signs of improvement.

"When he hit that fly ball to right field (in the first inning), I really liked it," Martinez said. "He's staying on balls. And I told him: 'When you start doing that, it's coming.' And then he was able to hit the home run in the ninth inning, so that's great. He's going to play. And we need him."

Dozier's home run came off sidewinder Pat Neshek, never a comfortable at-bat for a right-handed hitter. He actually thought about bunting before instead going after a high fastball and blasting it over the center field fence.

Dozier has been working diligently in recent weeks, both watching video with hitting coach Kevin Long and then trying to implement some changes in the cage: "I've taken, I think, more swings in the past four or five weeks than I have my whole career."

At last Monday night Dozier saw some reward for all the work. And when he looks up at the scoreboard tonight, he'll see a batting average that no longer starts with a zero.

Small steps, to be sure. But steps in the right direction.

"The past couple of games, I'm starting to feel right," he said. "I think we're there."