Second baseman Jose Vidro came off the disabled list and provided the Washington Nationals with an immediate boost last night.
In his first game in more than two months, Vidro delivered a clutch double in the seventh inning off the New York Mets’ Pedro Martinez to drive in the Nationals’ second run. He then showed his legs were fine when he scored on Jose Guillen’s single to right for a 3-0 lead. The Nationals held on to win 3-2.
Vidro tore a left ankle tendon May 4 sliding home against the Los Angeles Dodgers and missed 54 games. He played five games on a rehab assignment with the Class A Potomac Nationals before returning to hit second in the order last night.
“I’m just glad that’s over with,” Vidro said. “I need to stay healthy, do my exercises and stay away from the DL, man. Two months of this and I was getting very frustrated. It was a very, very long time.”
Vidro, 30, is among the franchise’s career leaders in almost every offensive category, including batting average (second at .304), home runs (seventh with 105) and RBI (sixth with 486).
“It’s very nice to get a player back, especially a player of Jose Vidro’s stature and what he can mean to this ballclub and what he has meant to this ballclub in the past,” Nationals manager Frank Robinson said. “It’s like going out and making a deal for a top player to add to your ballclub. It upgrades your club significantly.”
To create a roster spot for Vidro, the club optioned infielder Rick Short back to Class AAA New Orleans.
Before he got hurt, Vidro was hitting .290 with four home runs and 15 RBI in 28 games. With Vidro, the Nationals went 15-13. Without Vidro, however, the Nationals went 35-19.
“I’m happy the way the team is playing with me or without me,” Vidro said. “I’ve been with this team when it was not winning. This team is a lot different. This is a more mature team, a more complete team, more veteran guys, and that helped everything.”
Junior Spivey, whom the Nationals acquired June 10 from Milwaukee when they realized Vidro would be out longer than expected, and utility infielder Jamey Carroll both played admirably in Vidro’s absence. With Vidro back and shortstop Cristian Guzman (strained hamstring) possibly soon to follow, Robinson will need to be creative to get Spivey and Carroll playing time.
“It makes our bench stronger,” Robinson said.
Cordero honored
Chad Cordero was named National League pitcher of the month for June. The closer, who was named to his first All-Star Game on Sunday, leads the majors after earning his 30th save last night. He tied the major league record for saves in a month with 15 and did not allow an earned run in June.
Cordero’s franchise-record streak of 26 consecutive saves ended at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on Sunday when the Cubs’ Aramis Ramirez hit a game-tying two-run homer. The Nationals went on to win in 12 innings.
Guzman wants back soon
Guzman, who pulled his hamstring Thursday trying to beat out a bunt, says he will be back in the lineup in the next two days.
Robinson was a bit more cautious, saying he doesn’t anticipate the shortstop going on the DL.
“It’s a possibility if he’s not going to respond and come back in the next few days, he might,” Robinson said.
Guzman is hitting just .201 with three home runs and 13 RBI in 76 games.
Extra bases
Emmy Award-winning sports announcer Bob Costas interviewed Robinson before the game for “Costas Now.” The Robinson interview can been seen Friday at 9 p.m. on HBO. … Infielder Henry Mateo (shoulder) was back in Washington to have his status re-evaluated by club officials. Mateo, who recently completed a rehab assignment at Class AAA New Orleans, said he’s still experiencing ups and downs with his health and believes he’s weeks away from returning.
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