In the clubhouse, however, Pinto is just another big kid. Whether slurping cereal out of a bowl or coloring pages of the sports section with felt-tip markers or tossing pens at passersby, the 25-year-old Venezuelan left-hander looks nothing like the no-nonsense, all-business pitcher he is late in games.
''He has a certain swagger when he goes out there because he knows he's good,'' catcher Mike Rabelo said. ``He's been awesome, taking the ball every day for us no matter if it's righties or lefties. We've been able to rely on him every day. He has great confidence, and you need that in the game. He also has a nasty changeup. Everything's clicking for him.''
Pinto has come up strong time and again this season, giving up just two runs in 25 2/3 innings. On Friday, he put the Nationals down in order in the eighth; on Sunday, he came on after the Marlins took a 5-4 lead in the eighth and walked the leadoff batter, but he quickly got Ryan Zimmerman to ground into a double play and Aaron Boone to fly out to right.
''He's been as good as we've asked him to be,'' outfielder Cody Ross said. ``We know he's going to get the job done no matter the situation. He's been a real boost.''
ANYTHING YOU CAN DO . . .
Ross, who didn't start Sunday, led off Saturday's game with a home run on the game's first pitch, driving the ball over the left-field wall. After the game, Ross divulged that he told former leadoff man Hanley Ramirez that ''I'm going to go up there and do what you do'' -- as in, lead off with a homer.
''I got a fastball and got good wood on it,'' Ross said. ``I could tell by the sound of the bat that it was gone.''
• Josh Willingham felt his back tighten up during batting practice Saturday and didn't swing Sunday. He traveled with the team to Cincinnati and likely will be sent to the minors for a rehabilitation stint in the coming days. . . . First baseman Mike Jacobs (right quadriceps) missed his fourth consecutive game.
