Revere making plays to stay on field; update on Ramos

It hasn't been the smoothest season at the plate for center fielder Ben Revere, and he would be the first to acknowledge it. The oblique injury to begin the season sidetracked what he was hoping would be a quick start. Unfortunately, Revere has struggled for consistency at the plate.

His .212 average is way down from what he has been able to do every season since 2012: .294, .305, .306, (.298 with the Phillies, .319 with the Blue Jays). His career on-base percentage is .322, but this year it has reached only .261.

So the last two games, Revere has reminded the Nationals of one of the other important reasons why they brought him on: his athletic ability to make plays in the outfield.

Sunday, he saved the game with a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch near the center field wall in the seventh to rob the Giants' Brandon Belt of extra bases and multiple runs.

Then Tuesday, he slammed up against the wall making another impressive catch to save a possible home run or extra-base hit off the bat of Abraham Almonte.

"I was just trying to go up there, just play the best defense you can, any way you can help your team in a situation," Revere said. "Of course, (Max) Scherzer had the no-hitter going and everything. Just trying to get motivated, but that's the main thing I'm trying to do: just help my team in any way possible to get a victory."

Scherzer appreciated Revere's ability to catch that drive and keep his potential no-hitter alive.

"I thought that ball was gone," Scherzer said. "He really got a hold of it and sure enough, I still saw Ben had a bead on it. I knew he was short, so I didn't think he could rob it. But he made a spectacular play to be able to jump up and catch that ball. To be in that situation and to be able to go get that ball, that's just huge. That kept everything going in our favor."

Revere also had a single in his first at-bat and a double in the seventh, which hopefully can be a reminder of the offense he can provide when he is on. With the team struggling to score runs the last three games, that would be a welcome sight as well.

* Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos took a foul tip off his foot and doubled over in pain late in the game Tuesday. Ramos stayed in the game and even contributed a base hit in the eighth. Pedro Severino pinch-ran for him after that single. I would expect Ramos to get the game off today so that he could have two full days off before the Braves arrive Friday. But he's been the only hitter who has been consistent the last three games.

Manager Dusty Baker talked about Ramos taking the hit behind the plate and whether he is worried that his veteran catcher has an injury that might keep him out for more than a few games.

"I was going to pinch-run for him anyway in that situation because rarely does it happen like it happened early in the year, I didn't run for him and then (a) guy hits a double," Baker said. "You're playing the odds, you hate to run for him in that part of the ballgame because if we tie the game up and go extra innings, then we have Severino, but we got to do what you got to do when you're behind.

"No I don't have any lingering concerns, he's tough, he ain't called the Buffalo for nothing. Boy, that's a tough position that he's playing and you're prone to foul tips and all kind of things when you're back there catching."