Trea Turner uses speed to create runs as Nats get home win

When some of his usual starters are not in the lineup, Nationals manager Dusty Baker likes to see his club manufacture runs to ignite the offense. Ryan Zimmerman, Daniel Murphy and Anthony Rendon had a day of rest for Thursday's makeup matchup against the Orioles.

And really, Zimmerman said it this week: In order to be successful against playoff teams, which would be teams like the Dodgers and the Orioles, who are above .500, they can't just home run their way through each game and win. They have to find other ways to create offense.

That is what Trea Turner was put in this lineup to do. On Thursday in a 6-1 win over the Orioles, he did just that.

Turner went 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs, a career-high three stolen bases and had a hand (mostly feet) in igniting an offense that scored five runs in the first two frames of the victory.

Turner stole two bases in the first inning and one more in the third. The three stolen bases were also a Nationals club record.

Turner has also been getting hot again. Since May 26, a span of 13 games, Turner is batting .356 (21-for-59) with one double, two triples, one homer, three walks, four RBIs, 10 stolen bases and 11 runs scored.

Alec Asher had a tough time getting Turner out. He also couldn't stop him from stealing bases. Those two elements went a long way in creating his fourth loss of the season.

Winning pitcher Joe Ross can empathize with what an opposing pitcher has to contend with when trying to stop Turner.

"It's tough. I don't know really what you can do other than continue to pick-off or hold for an extended period of time," Ross reasoned. "Eventually he's going to take off and it's going to be pretty hard to throw him out. They can do what they can trying to hold him. Luckily, I don't have that problem. Hopefully, we're on the same team for a while so I don't have to worry about that."

Manager Dusty Baker said Turner's spark got the rest of the lineup charged up. Bryce Harper singled and Adam Lind had a sacrifice fly that scored Turner for those early runs.

"That's his game. His game is a leadoff man to get on base," Baker said. "When he gets on base via walk, which he hasn't had many, he (started) the game off with a walk. Second and third, and then usually just a fly ball meant something. The guys batting behind him, those are non-at-bats and RBIs when that happens. That makes them more confident. As your leadoff man goes, usually your offense goes."

Did Turner see something in Asher's setup and delivery that signaled when he could steal?

"If I did, I wouldn't tell you," Turner said, smiling.

"I thought we had some great at-bats. I worked the walk. Harp battled in his at-bat. Dirt (Stephen Drew) had a huge hit and I think that was another two-strike, two-out hit. Just good at-bats. We strung them together."

Drew did have the only homer on the night, his first of the season. He finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

"That was great," Baker said. "Big time, especially since I didn't have to use Anthony. I can let him rest tonight. Lind got a big sacrifice fly and a walk. I didn't have to use Zim. It's always great when you give guys a day off and then you don't have to use them."

Unlikely runs sometimes from unlikely sources is another way Nats can win in the playoffs, because good pitching sometimes slows down power offenses. The Nats demonstrated that ability Thursday in getting a home win over the Orioles.