Sandy Alcantara’s dominant six-inning start and Christopher Morel’s clutch eighth-inning single propelled Miami to a series-closing victory before the club heads to Minnesota for a crucial road trip.
MIAMI — The Miami Marlins closed out their 10-game homestand on a high note, defeating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Sunday at loanDepot park.
The Marlins (19-22) entered the game having played in 13 games decided by one run this season, which was tied with the equally entertaining Arizona Diamondbacks for the National League lead. The Marlins are 8-5 in one-run games, but 2-3 during the current homestand.
The game was trending that way until the Marlins broke it open in the eighth inning. Christopher Morel drove in his first run of the season for the Marlins in the eighth inning, scoring Esteury Ruiz on a single to put the Fightin’ Fish ahead 3-2.
Ruiz came in as a pinch runner and stole third base before scoring on Morel’s base hit. The Marlins entered Sunday leading the big leagues with 44 stolen bases this season.
”We’re ready every time we hit the bases,” Ruiz said through Marlins interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. “I can say the most difficult part is to just get on base.”
Miami got the next two runs on a single by Heriberto Hernandez, who led the Marlins at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance. Hernandez recently came back from a short stint at Triple-A Jacksonville, one that ended with a confidence-boosting walk-off hit earlier in the week.
“I truly gave 100% of everything I’ve got, and I knew that with good contact, I have power,” Hernandez said through Dorante Jr. “I was going to be able to bring the run in.”
Sandy Alcantara returned to his formidable self. The Marlins ace lasted six innings allowing two runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts. He said after the game he thought he “was going back out there for the seventh.” However, Marlins manager Clayton McCullough felt like he had done enough and was ready to turn to a bullpen that entered Sunday pacing MLB with a .191 opponent's batting average.
“We felt like, at six and right at 90 pitches, a couple runs, he really did his job," Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said after the game.
James Wood led off the game with a double to left field. He was later tagged out in a rundown between third base and home plate. Alcantara escaped the first inning with a groundout and a strikeout.
The Marlins scored two runs in the third inning to establish an early lead. Joe Mack led off the rally with a walk and eventually scored on back-to-back singles by Xavier Edwards and Liam Hicks. Edwards then scored on a fielder’s choice to make it 2-0.
The Nationals struck back in the fourth inning and cut the Marlins’ lead in half. Luis Garcia Jr. led off the inning with a triple and scored on a ground ball by Brady House to make it a 2-1 game. Daylen Lile hit a two-out double later in the inning but an ensuing lineout ended the threat.
The Nationals tied the game 2-2 in the fifth inning. Jorbit Vivas led off with a base hit and later scored on an RBI double by Garcia Jr. Both Garcia Jr, and Lile led the Nationals with two hits apiece.
Alcantara had one strikeout in the first inning and didn’t punch out another batter until he got two swinging in the sixth inning. Calvin Faucher earned the win with two hitless innings of relief. Josh Ekness, who made his MLB debut at the beginning of the homestand, earned his first career save after getting the final out. Andrew Nardi got the first two outs of the ninth inning on back-to-back strikeouts.
Cade Cavalli went 5.2 innings for the Nationals (19-22), allowing two runs on four hits with four strikeouts. Gus Varland was charged with the loss after giving up three runs on two hits with only one out in the eighth inning.
After a much-needed off day, the Marlins travel to the Twin Cities to take on the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday. Eury Pérez (2-4, 5.01 ERA) will take the mound against Bailey Ober (3-2, 4.19 ERA).
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