Williams on Zimmerman, Zimmermann and more after 3-2 win

MIAMI - Ryan Zimmerman returned from a nearly two-month absence and delivered two hits, including a triple. Jordan Zimmermann got drilled by a comebacker in his pitching shoulder but still delivered six strong innings. Denard Span faced a tough lefty with two outs and a runner in scoring position in a big spot, and delivered the game-winning hit.

The Nationals keep on rolling.

span-swinging-gray-sidebar.jpgZimmerman went 2-for-3 with a triple in his first game back from a strained hamstring, Zimmermann came out with just a bruised shoulder after that scary incident in the sixth and Span had another multi-hit game.

Asdrubal Cabrera also added a run-scoring triple in a three-run seventh that put the Nats on top for good.

Here's Matt Williams after the win:

On how Zimmerman came through the game: "Pretty good, considering all he had to do. Ball gets by the right fielder and he's got to run three. He shut it down knowing that he'd get there. Took it easy. Then he had to go. We're trying to bubble-wrap him as much as possible, but I would imagine that that play's part of his testing process. Although, we'd just as soon he not try to score on that ball. But it's instinct. The ball gets hit and it's a high chopper, and ordinarily you'd be able to score there, so it's instinct for him to go. Then after, given all of that, I didn't want to push it, either. He goes back out there, has to go get a ball after putting all that stress on his leg, I didn't want to do that, either. So just decided to get him out of there."

On if Zimmerman took off on his own on the play at the plate in the seventh: "Yeah. If the ball's hit hard to the third baseman, there's nobody out, they're playing the middle back, so if the ball's hit the second baseman or shortstop, certainly. But on the corners there ... but it's instinct. You tell him, 'If the ball's hit here, we're not gonna go.' But the ball's chopped in the air, it's just what they do. That's one of the worries with him and his leg. You get a play like that, and he's got to go, instinct takes over. But it's no fun for us on the bench, that's for sure."

On if Zimmerman is OK health-wise: "Yeah, he's fine. Him coming out of the game had nothing to do with an injury or anything like that. It's a big load on him. It's a good test for him. We don't want to push him."

On how Zimmermann feels after the comebacker: "Got him in his shoulder. That's tough. Pitching well, certainly can go longer. But not tonight. Not with something like that. And we're not gonna take any chances there. I would assume he's gonna be pretty sore tomorrow. He's got a pretty good welt on his shoulder, but he was able to finish the inning and shut it down from there."

On if the shoulder issue could linger: "I don't anticipate it affecting anything as far as injury goes. ... We'll have to evaluate over the next couple days and see where we're at. It got him pretty good."

On Aaron Barrett, who delivered a scoreless seventh: "He's pitched well. He's been put in a lot of situations that require him to make pitches. He's faced a lot of No. 3 or 4 hitters in the league with two outs or in a situation where we need a strikeout. Pitched really well. And tonight was a situation where we could give him a full inning given the matchups coming on the other side. And he pitched great. He's important to us, for sure."




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