"Michael Morse months ago dashed the last remaining doubts about whether he could play every day in the major leagues, and now he is using the final stretch of this season to grind them into dust. Morse provided the Washington Nationals a cheery subplot with a wicked offensive surge in June. And then something unexpected happened. Morse never stopped hitting baseballs as hard as any player on Earth.

The Nationals will play the final six weeks with an emphasis on their future, and Tuesday night Morse again showed why he has become an integral part of it, and also why he will find himself playing left field on occasion for the remainder of the season.

In a 6-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds before 23,888 at Nationals Park, Morse roped an RBI double and crushed his 21st home run, both hits to the opposite field. Morse's offense backed up Chien-Ming Wang, who won his second consecutive game and pitched 61 / 3 innings, his longest start since June 10, 2008.

Morse raised his average to .323, ranking him second in the National League. His slugging and on-base percentages this season are better than Albert Pujols's. And since the all-star break Morse has hit .364 with a .424 on-base percentage and a .645 slugging percentage. The Nationals went into this season hoping one or two of their young players would establish themselves as a legitimate future star. It turns out a hulking, 29-year-old former shortstop did."