For a moment, Nook Logan flirted with bunting again. His previous attempt worked out quite well: he reached first, stole two bases, and scored.
So, even with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, another bunt tempted him.
He then opted to swing away.
And that decision worked out as well as the first one. Logan bounced a 3-2 fastball into right field for a go-ahead two-run single in Washington’s 4-3 win over visiting Baltimore. It capped a 7-3 homestand for the 16-28 Nats.
“That’s where I wanted to be,” Logan said. “That’s why everyone plays the game.”
Logan’s single capped a nine pitch at-bat against reliever Danys Baez. And Logan’s day showed why he’s an intriguing player. In the third, his speed manufactured a run. After he stole second and third, Felipe Lopez ripped a single past the drawn-in infield.
Logan understands the problems his legs can cause.
“It makes situations easier for the guys behind me,” Logan said. “Even when I don’t steal a base, in the back of the pitcher’s mind they’re thinking about [it] and not making their pitches.”
In his last at-bat, he battled from an 0-2 hole, getting the count to 3-2 before his single.
“That was a tremendous at-bat,” Nats manager Manny Acta said.
Logan opened the season as Washington’s starting center fielder. But he injured his left foot, causing him to miss 30 games. He also hurt his shoulder one day after coming off the disabled list on May 6.
Logan, who batted eighth, bumped his average to .304, though that’s in only 23 at-bats. He has a long ways to go to prove he’s a legitimate hitter.
“It’s up to him to prove to everybody he means business,” Acta said, “and that he can be the player we envision him to be. … We would love for him to work his way into being a top of the lineup guy. … He causes chaos.”
The Nats nearly lost another starter when Ryan Church was hit by a pitch on his left arm. Church said he thought he had broken a bone. But X-rays were negative and Church said he’s not ruling himself out of tonight’s game in Cincinnati.
Meanwhile, Chad Cordero picked up his first save since April 30. Acta had eased Cordero back into the closer’s role after he missed a week while on the bereavement list.
“Now I’m just concentrating on baseball,” Cordero said. “Manny did what he thought was best for the team and it helped me out a lot.”
