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Bench power: Drew, Heisey blast homers
- Updated: May 14, 2016
WASHINGTON — During Spring Training, Nationals manager Dusty Baker often said he needed a productive bench to win the National League East. On Friday night, the bench came through in the clutch with two pinch-hit home runs in a 5-3 victory over the Marlins.
It marked the first time in their history the Nationals knocked two-pinch hit homers in a game. They rank second in the Majors behind the Cardinals with six pinch-hit long balls.
“It’s especially nice when they hit home runs,” Baker said. “Your bench is so very important. You want some production from the guys on the bench. That’s why you try to give them a few at-bats and some action so they could feel more comfortable. These guys, they work hard and they hit a lot [in the cage]. They have a lot of pride coming off the bench. They are proud of what they are doing as a unit.”
The bench showed how powerful it could be starting in the sixth. With the Nationals down, 2-0, Jose Lobaton on first and Marlins right-hander Bryan Morris on the mound, Stephen Drew, pinch-hitting for Oliver Perez, swung at …
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