Starting pitcher Jackson Kent picked up his first MLB win of his career on Friday night as the Washington Nationals downed the Miami Marlins, 9-2
Starting pitcher Jackson Kent picked up his first major league win on Friday night as the Washington Nationals opened the four game series against the Miami Marlins with a convincing 9-2 win.
Kent dazzled in the win after allowing three hits and one earned run across seven innings to mark his best outing during his four four appearances in the MLB, exiting the mound with a 5.59 ERA on the season. Max Kranick came in to close out the final two innings where he tossed one strikeout and allowed two hits to secure the win. Abimelec Ortiz notched a multi-hit game while Brady House blasted a 445 foot home run that blew the game open in the third inning.
Yet the Marlins would open the scoring after Kent gave up a leadoff double before an RBI single put the Nationals in a one run deficit, but they would get it all back in the bottom of the third.
Andres Chaparro, Jacob Young and CJ Abrams drew consecutive walks to load the bases before a wild pitch was enough to get both Abrams and Young home. Daylen Lile followed it up with a walk before Brady House blasted his home run to clear the bases and put Washington convincingly ahead, 5-1.
The Nationals were able to blow the game open after Harry Ford took the plate to open the seventh, an at bat that ended with a 393 foot home run off an 86 mph cutter. Chaparro drew another walk before a single from Abimelec Ortiz put runners on the corners, allowing Dylan Crews to clear the bases with a double into left field. Daylen Lile kept his hot streak going after his triple into center field comfortably brought home Crews for Washington's final run of the night before a strikeout courtesy of Brady House ended the inning.
The Marlins would answer back once more with a 445 foot solo home run to begin the eighth, but that would mark all that was left in the tank as the Nationals picked up their second consecutive win.
Washington now enters Saturday with a chance at securing a three game win streak for the first time since sweeping the Cincinnati Reds in the three game series back on Aug. 7 - 9 . Cade Cavalli will look to stay hot when he takes the mound with first pitch scheduled for 4:05 PM.
