Hanley Ramirez is on the case in Dodgers’ win over Nationals

Nothing about Hanley Ramirez surprises anyone in the Dodgers’ clubhouse anymore — except, perhaps, that opposing teams are still pitching to him.

Ramirez was again the man of the moment Saturday night, when he doubled in Adrian Gonzalez and scored an insurance run in the 10th inning of the Dodgers’ 3-1 victory over the Washington Nationals.

Upon returning to the visiting dugout at Nationals Park, Ramirez was met by starting pitcher Zack Greinke, who told him, “Even me, I would have walked you.”

Ramirez, who batted with first base open in the 10th after Gonzalez had doubled, laughed after the game as he recalled the scene.

What started as a nightmare season for Ramirez is turning into one with plenty of smiles. The first major slump of Yasiel Puig’s career has been reduced to an afterthought by Ramirez, who was three for five to raise his average to .390.

By winning for the 19th time in 24 games, the Dodgers closed to within half a game of the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West.

Manager Don Mattingly has repeatedly said Ramirez appears to be “on a mission” this season. Mattingly said it again on this night.

And that mission is?

“Win that ring,” said Ramirez, who has never played in a postseason game in the majors.

But Ramirez acknowledged that part of his motivation is a desire to reclaim his standing as an elite player. An NL batting champion in 2009 when he hit .342, Ramirez batted a combined .252 in 2011 and 2012, something he blamed on shoulder problems. He underwent a major operation in 2011.

“My swing is back,” he said.

Ramirez said he never doubted he would be this caliber of player again.

“Coming from the Dominican with nothing, just my parents, fighting through everything, we just leave everything on the field no matter what,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez has also looked increasingly fluid defensively. After playing primarily at third base last season, he is back at shortstop full time this year.

“He’s made all different kinds of plays,” Mattingly said. “He’s made plays up the middle. He’s made plays in the hole where he gets guys at second. He’s made some plays on the run, coming across the diamond. He’s been really solid.”

Ramirez has offset the effects of Puig’s slide. The rookie right fielder is hitting .216 with one run batted in and one extra-base hit in his last 12 games. He has struck out 17 times in that span.

“You see a little bit of confusion up there,” Mattingly said. “He seems to be caught in between a little bit.”

Puig is hitless in nine at-bats in this series. He was 0 for 5 with three strikeouts on Saturday.

Puig’s loss of form has led to a noticeable dip in production for the Dodgers’ lineup, which has scored only eight runs in the last four games. But the team has won three of them.

Saturday night, the Dodgers faced Gio Gonzalez, who struck out 11 over six scoreless innings. In the series opener, they went against Stephen Strasburg.

“We’re playing good,” Greinke said. “I feel we’re going to win no matter what the situation is.”

Greinke did his part by escaping a few early jams and limiting Washington to a run in six innings.

Six relievers combined to pitch four scoreless innings. Rookie Chris Withrow tossed a perfect ninth inning to get his first career win, and Kenley Jansen earned his 11th save of the season.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com

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