Leon getting more time behind plate

MIAMI -- When Wilson Ramos went on the disabled list to open the season, Jose Lobaton took over the starting catcher duties.

Sandy Leon, however, has started four of the past six games. That tops his total of two appearances last season. He is just 15 plate appearances shy of his career-high 36 from 2012.

Manager Matt Williams plans on deciding who catches on a day-to-day basis, but given recent history chose Leon as the backstop for the second game at Marlins Park.

"It varies depending on who we're playing and how they're doing," Williams said. "Yesterday, Sandy had a really nice game. Last time out with [Stephen Strasburg] he handled him well, Stras threw the ball good."

Leon, who entered Monday's game batting .067, connected on an 87-mph sinker from Marlins right-hander Kevin Slowey for his first career home run.

The two-out, two-run liner to right bounced off the top of the wall in the seventh inning. He also singled to right in his first at-bat in the second. After the game, he got the ball from a little kid who had retrieved it. Leon plans on giving it to his father.

After opening the season hitless in his first three games, Leon has gone 3-for-9 with two runs, three RBIs and just one strikeout.

"The more you play, the more you feel better," Leon said. "You see more pitches, you play almost three or four times a week. As a hitter, that's really good to get timing."