WASHINGTON – About 15 hours after Ramiro Pena's two-run homer in the 10th inning completed the Braves' stunning late-innings rally from four down to a 6-4 win, he was in the lineup Saturday in place of shortstop Andrelton Simmons.
“I just want to get some left-handed hitters in the lineup,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said after posting the lineup in the morning, which included just one left-handed hitter for the matchup against Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg. “Just trying to get the offense going a little bit.”
Such a move might have seemed inconceivable until recently, considering Pena came in with a .233 career average, .553 OPS and two homers in 313 career at-bats during parts of four major league seasons with the New York Yankees.
But Braves officials said since the first week of spring training than Pena looked like a far better hitter than his stats indicated, and Gonzalez has said – and reiterated several times recently – that Pena would be recognized as an exceptional utility player if he’d spent those years in the National League.
Pena went 2-for-3 with a walk Saturday to make him 7-for-17 (.412) with a double, a homer and six RBIs in nine games, including 5-for-11 with four RBIs in three starts at shortstop. He filled in last weekend when Simmons hurt a thumb.
“He’s playing now,” Gonzalez said of Pena, “where over (with the Yankees) you’re playing in the American League and backing up Derek Jeter and (Robinson) Cano and (Alex Rodriguez), it’s tough to get in the game. Here in the National League, the game will dictate a double-switch, a pinch-hit, go in for defense, that kind of stuff.
“What a pick-up, (signing) that young man.”
The Braves signed the 27-year-old to a one-year free-agent contract in late December, knowing infielder Paul Janish would need at least six months to fully recover from October shoulder surgery. Janish should be ready to play soon, but he’ll likely be the shortstop at Triple-A Gwinnett with Pena continuing in his current role.
He’s already had a far bigger impact than anyone, including Pena himself, expected.
His two-run single in the eighth inning against the Cubs April 6 pulled the Braves within 5-4 in a game they won 6-5, and his two-run single off the Cubs’ Jeff Samardzija in the sixth inning April 7 accounted for the game-winning RBI.
Pena made two exceptional defensive plays in the late innings of Tuesday’s 3-2 win at Miami, including a double-play when he charged in and caught a popped-up bunt, then fired to first base before the runner got back.
He entered Friday’s game in the ninth inning and bunted for a base hit after Chris Johnson’s leadoff single. Both ended up scoring on Justin Upton’s two-out tying single and third baseman’s Ryan Zimmerman’s throwing error.
An inning later, Pena got a 1-0 fastball he was looking for from Craig Stammen and drove it into the Nationals’ bullpen beyond right field.
“Man, unbelievable,” said Dan Uggla, who was on base when Pena homered. “He’s come through huge for us. Seems like every time he’s been called on to do something, he has.”
It was Pena’s first homer since June 15, 2011, and in the 31 games he played between homers he hit .115 (6-for-52) with one extra-base hit.
Pena didn’t expect to play as much as he has, and said Gonzalez’s confidence has been a blessing.
“It feels good,” he said. “I have to believe more in myself sometimes. The good thing is the manager believes in me, he trusts me.”
Fifteen hours after Ramiro Pena’s two-run homer in the 10th inning completed the Braves’ stunning late-innings rally from four down to 6-4 win, he was in the lineup at shortstop Saturday in place of Andrelton Simmons.
“I just want to get some left-handed hitters in the lineup,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said after posting the lineup in the morning, which included just one left-handed hitter for the matchup against Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg. “Just trying to get the offense going a little bit.”
This might have seemed inconceivable before this season, considering Pena came in with a .233 career average, .553 OPS and two homers in 313 career at-bats during parts of four major league seasons with the New York Yankees.
But Braves officials have said since the first week of spring training than Pena looked like a far better hitter than those numbers indicated, and Gonzalez has said – he’s reiterated it several times recently – that Pena would be recognized as an exceptional utility player if he’d spent those years in the National League.
Pena was 5-for-14 (.357) with a double, a homer and six RBIs in eight games for the Braves before Saturday, including 3-for-8 with four RBIs in two starts at shortstop when Simmons had a thumb injury last weekend.
“He’s playing now,” Gonzalez said, “where over (with the Yankees) you’re playing in the American League and backing up Derek Jeter and (Robinson) Cano and (Alex Rodriguez), it’s tough to get in the game. Here in the National League, the game will dictate a double-switch, a pinch-hit, go in for defense, that kind of stuff.
“What a pick-up, (getting) that young man.”
The Braves signed the 27-year-old to a one-year free-agent contract in late December, knowing that utility infielder Paul Janish would need at least six months to fully recover from October shoulder surgery. Janish should be ready to play soon, but he’ll likely be the shortstop at Triple-A Gwinnett with Pena continuing in his current role.
He’s already had a far bigger impact than anyone, including Pena himself, expected.
His two-run single in the eighth inning against the Cubs April 6 pulled the Braves within 5-4 in a game they won 6-5, and his two-run single off the Cubs’ Jeff Samardzija in the sixth inning April 7 accounted for the game-winning RBI.
Pena made two exceptional defensive plays in the late innings of Tuesday’s 3-2 win at Miami, including a double-play when he charged in and caught a popped-up bunt and alertly threw to first base before the runner got back.
He entered Friday’s game in the ninth inning and bunted for a base hit after Chris Johnson’s leadoff single. Both ended up scoring on Justin Upton’s two-out tying single and third baseman’s Ryan Zimmerman’s throwing error.
An inning later, Pena got the 1-0 fastball he was looking for from Craig Stammen and drove it into the Nationals’ bullpen beyond the right-field fence.
“Man, unbelievable,” said Dan Uggla, who was on base when Pena homered. “He’s come through huge for us. Seems like every time he’s been called on to do something, he has.”
It was Pena’s first homer since June 15, 2011, and in the 31 games he played between homers he hit .115 (6-for-52) with one extra-base hit, two walks and 15 strikeouts.
“He’s a perfect National League guy,” Gonzalez said. “He’s a professional. He’s a straight pro.”
Pena didn’t expect to play as much as he has, and said Gonzalez’s confidence in him has been a blessing.
“It feels good,” he said. “I have to believe more in myself sometimes. The good thing is the manager believes in me, he trusts me.”
