Daniel Murphy went 4 for 17 with a home run on the Washington Nationals’ last homestand, then connected for two hits, both singles in the series opener with the Pittsburgh Pirates in PNC Park on Monday night.
On Tuesday night, however, Murphy looked more like the hitter he’s been over the first two seasons of his three-year deal with the Nationals, going 4 for 4 with two doubles in the 5-1 win over the Bucs.
“He’s starting to hit the ball well,” Davey Martinez told reporters after the Nationals evened things up in the three-game set with the Pirates.