Jacob Young’s early blast spoiled Robby Snelling’s first big-league start, while Washington’s pitching stifled a late Miami rally to hand the Marlins their sixth loss of the homestand.
MIAMI — Jacob Young hit a two-run home run in the first inning to lead the Washington Nationals to a 3-2 win over the Miami Marlins on Friday at loanDepot park.
The Marlins (17-22) have dropped to 2-6 during their current 10-game homestand. Miami has started all three series with a loss, four straight series going back to the Marlins’ last series win at Los Angeles at the end of April.
Marlins pitching prospect Robby Snelling lasted five innings in his Major League debut. All three of his earned runs allowed, and both of his strikeouts, came in the first inning.
“For him to really navigate himself through five, maybe not the cleanest innings,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said during his postgame press conference, “he really grinded well, showed a lot of moxie today.”
The Nationals provided some quick adversity for the 22-year-old with two outs. CJ Abrams hit an RBI single to score Curtis Mead, who reached on a double. Abrams scored on Young’s homer to give Washington an early 3-0 lead.
The Marlins struck back in the bottom of the first with a leadoff home run by Xavier Edwards, his third of the season. Otto Lopez extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a double. He scored on a throwing error to put the Marlins within a run at 3-2.
Three of the Marlins’ five hits came from Lopez, who went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
Snelling had a rocky start to the second inning, allowing a leadoff walk followed by a fielding error. He escaped the jam thanks to a double play and groundout.
Esteury Ruiz reached on a fielder's choice and stole both second and third base. He was stranded on a lineout to end the second inning.
Snelling cruised through the next three innings, retiring batters on bad contact and only allowing one hit and three walks.
"Everybody's geared up for 100 miles an hour up here," Snelling said after the game. "I used my fastball in good spots where I needed to, and utilized my sinking fastball in really good spots to left-handed hitters. That got me a couple of groundouts tonight that I really needed."
The Marlins bullpen trio of Anthony Bender, John King, and Tyler Phillips combined for four scoreless innings with one hit allowed.
Foster Griffin went seven innings for the Nationals, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits with a walk and nine strikeouts to earn the win. Brad Lord pitched 1.2 innings of relief allowing only two hits with two strikeouts.
Javier Sanoja provided some excitement in the ninth inning with a two-out single. Leaving nothing to chance, Nationals manager Blake Butera learned from the Baltimore Orioles before him and opted to send PJ Poulin for the final out against Marlins pinch-hitter Heriberto Hernandez.
Hernandez drew a walk but Jimenez grounded to second base to end the game. The Nationals (19-20) improved to 13-7 on the road.
The three-game series continues on Saturday with Janson Junk (2-3, 2.82 ERA) on the mound for the Marlins against Zack Littell (1-4, 7.24 ERA) and the Nationals.
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