Nats new lineup with Turner and Eaton delivers in first game

Monday was the first regular season game with the Nationals' new lineup in place. It was highlighted by the addition of Adam Eaton and Trea Turner at the top of the order.

Offensively, the duo combined to go 2-for-6 with two doubles, two walks, two stolen bases and a run scored.

Turner appreciated what Eaton was able to do, especially the two walks.

"It was awesome," Turner said. "If I wasn't on base, he was. He had some great at-bats today and I think that's what we need at the top of the lineup: just getting on base and hopefully we can do that a lot more."

Manager Dusty Baker emphasized before the game that Turner and Eaton at one and two in the order was more a product of the Marlins lacking left-handed bullpen hurlers. But it still demonstrates how good the pair can be together in the lineup.

"They function well," Baker said. "That's why in spring training I experimented with so many different lineups to try to have guys in that situation so it's not foreign to them once we start. It helps that they didn't have a lefty over there, which is the reason why he was there, the three lefties in the first place, which I'm not crazy about.

"We'll probably do something different if they come up with a lefty before Wednesday or we play a team that has a lot of lefties. But they came in and we discussed it before the game."

First baseman Ryan Zimmerman also understands the lineup makeup because the Marlins don't have a southpaw reliever.

"It's nice, I don't think they have a lefty in the bullpen though so it's easy to do that," Zimmerman said. "Eaton, (Bryce Harper) and (Daniel Murphy), and the other team doesn't have a left-hander in the bullpen, I mean all those guys can hit lefties anyway, but it's a lot easier to do that when you don't have to worry about that."

Turner ignited the offense in the bottom of the first with a double off of hard throwing Marlins starter Edinson Volquez.

Baker said Turner also showed what he can do on defense from his natural position.

"He made a couple nice places out there," Baker said. "He demonstrated plenty of arm. And he demonstrated an accurate arm. Most young shortstops, most of their errors come on throwing errors. But he's been working on it and he's going to get better and better, and the better he gets the more comfortable he'll feel."

But the biggest theme that might take center stage to begin this season is how hard it will be to beat the Nationals because the lineup is so strong. Zimmerman had two hits in four at-bats.

"Good teams have depth," Zimmerman said. "Have a bunch of different guys that can do bunch of different things that's what makes those teams so hard to beat because for nine innings you have to worry about a lot of people. Good win, good defense, pitchers threw the ball well, could have had some better timely hitting on our end but you can't do it every time."