"At age 39 and on a team with a talented young catcher ready for playing time, Ivan Rodriguez has had to play a role to which the future Hall of Famer is unaccustomed. Sunday at Nationals Park, however, Rodriguez turned back the clock with an inspired performance, worthy of his prime.

Scoring the go ahead run, driving in two that sewed it up, and gunning down one of the fastest base runners in the game, Rodriguez propelled the Nats to a 5-2 victory before 21,611.

"I'm still the same guy. Yeah, it's still me," Rodriguez joked. "I'm the same person."

Rodriguez entered the game hitting .200, but with some luck he could have gone 4-for-4. He sent two rockets to centerfield that were flagged down by the Giants' Aaron Rowand. His single to right in the fourth inning started the go-ahead rally. His single up the middle in the eighth inning expanded a 3-2 cushion to 5-2, making the ninth inning a breeze for Drew Storen, who earned his fifth save.

But the play that harkened back to the Rodriguez of old, came when the 13-time Gold Glove winner threw out pinch-runner Darren Ford on an attempted steal for the first out of the eighth inning as the Nats were protecting a tenuous lead. Winning pitcher Jordan Zimmermannn (2-4) was the man most appreciative of the play, calling it a "game-changer."

"It doesn't matter who's running. It could be fast. It could be slow. It could be average. I'm always ready," Rodriguez said. "To cut the rally right there is good for us. That's why I always take a lot of pride in my defense."

It's been a trying season for Rodriguez as he has stepped aside for 23-year-old rookie Wilson Ramos, who is hitting .358. But Rodriguez has accepted his role with grace, providing his teammates a valuable example of professionalism."