Back in comfortable starting role, Drew delivers three doubles in Nats' win

Manager Dusty Baker gave veteran Stephen Drew the chance to start Saturday. Protecting Daniel Murphy and his sore hamstring for one additional day, Baker placed Drew at second base in Saturday's game against Pittsburgh. It marked Drew's 49th appearance in the club's first 92 games.

In the role that he was used to for so long in his career, starting and playing an entire game, Drew delivered with three doubles and two runs scored in the Nationals' series-clinching 6-0 victory over the Pirates.

Baker said an alteration in the way Drew was accustomed to hitting while with the Yankees, especially to the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium, had to be made as the infielder moved to the more neutral dimensions at Nationals Park.

"He's done a great job. We try to get him some at-bats so he can stay sharp," Baker said. "You can tell he was coming. Early in the year, he had the Yankee Stadium stroke going where he was pulling everything.

"I talked to (Nationals hitting coach) Rick Schu, who had him in Arizona, and he was using the big part of the field, he would still pull. When he starts going to left-center field and up the middle, you know that he's really locked in."

Drew smacked doubles off of Pirates starter Gerrit Cole in the second and fourth innings, each time coming around to score as the Nats built a 5-0 lead. Instead of popping up to right field, Drew did a nice job a spraying three doubles around the park - to left-center, right and right-center.

"I did change it up," Drew said of his swing. "I needed to make some changes, and went into the offseason and hit a lot in the offseason. That was it. I made some adjustments. And I'm feeling good at the plate. I'm trying not to do too much."

Drew spoke before the game, and has repeated several times this season, that transitioning from being an everyday player to coming off the bench is not an easy change for a player to make. He has had to make adjustments.

"All year, just trying to figure this role out, like I told you guys before," Drew said. "Asked Clint (Robinson), (Chris) Heisey, about this role, and I feel more comfortable now. I'm trying not to do too much, getting into good counts, and I'm putting good swings on some pitches. It was a good night."

Robinson added a leadoff single in the fourth and scored a run. The Nationals have had contributions from every bench player in almost every game. Drew and his bench mates recognize their value.

"It's fun. We talk about it," Drew said. "We have a good time with it. Again, we've got a really good bench. It's fun to be a part of. Just seeing the guys like Heisey, Clint, myself, (Jose Lobaton), we take pride in it. It's definitely something that I had to learn, and I'm still learning.

"With the experience we have, it's the same game. We get one game here or there. We try not to do too much. Just do the little things right. But also try to get something to help the team win. And I think we were able to do it the first half, and hopefully the second half we can still do it."