Desmond erasing memories of early-season errors with extra-base hits

Shortstop Ian Desmond rolled to another big day at the plate in Wednesday's 5-2 Nationals win over the White Sox. Desmond went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a triple, scoring two runs. On Tuesday, he also had a pair of hits, including his second homer of the season. He now has seven extra-base hits in eight games. Saturday was his first homer, which came after he had made two errors in a game the Nationals won 7-6 in 11 innings at Cincinnati. Desmond said he was itching for the opportunity to redeem himself Saturday. He said he will not let the four errors in the season's first eight games alter his focus. Desmond likened more chances to change the game with at-bats following a mistake in the field to an NBA shooter who keeps shooting after a couple of missed shots, like Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. "Kobe has had bad shooting days," Desmond said. "He doesn't stop shooting. That is kind of the way I look at it. I am getting an opportunity and I am going to take it every time. I am not going to shy away. I am not going to pass the ball to somebody else. I am going to keep on shooting because that is my job. "Obviously, there are going to be days when I have good days and days when I will have bad days. I have been working my whole career, minor leagues to big leagues, to make sure I make more plays than I mess up. Scratch it off as a bad day and move on to the next one."