Goodwin makes most of his start with first career grand slam

CINCINNATI - Brian Goodwin got to be a part of some significant moments last year, the first time the young outfielder was on a big league roster for an extended stretch. He led off two games for the Nationals with home runs. He gave his team late leads with clutch hits. He made the postseason roster.

When asked Saturday where his ninth-inning grand slam during the Nats' 13-7 win over the Reds would rank among career highlights, though, Goodwin couldn't come up with anything better.

"It's up there, probably at the top," he said. "It don't get too much better than that."

No, it's hard to top your first career grand slam, even if the stakes weren't tremendously high in the second game of the season, a game the Nationals already led by four runs at the time of the blast.

That Goodwin found himself with an opportunity to clear the bases with his shot to straightaway center field off Reds reliever Kevin Quackenbush was testament to manager Davey Martinez's willingness to put his fourth outfielder in the starting lineup on the season's second day.

Martinez decided to sit Michael A. Taylor and Ryan Zimmerman for a day in order to keep Goodwin and backup first baseman Matt Adams "engaged" early in the season and not waste away on the bench after getting extensive playing time all spring. Those moves paid off brilliantly, with Adams opening the scoring barrage with a 460-foot, three-run homer in the top of the first and then Goodwin putting the finishing touches on the victory with his ninth-inning shot.

"They did the job," Martinez said. "They're part of this team, that's what I said. We have to keep them engaged and get them in there as much as we possibly can. They get it. Their teammates get it. It was nice to see them contribute today, and they were jacked up."

Goodwin, the owner of only 329 career major league plate appearances, wasn't owed a start in the second game of the season. But he was grateful to Martinez for outlining this plan early on and entrusting this start to him.

"I appreciate it a lot, him being so up front about it," Goodwin said. "He's been that way since spring training, so I've got to say it's definitely a good thing to know, and know in advance. I just want to play. He has faith in us that we can play out there, and he gets us opportunities when he sees fit. And that's about all you can ask for."