The hot start continues for the Washington Nationals to open spring training after defeating the Miami Marlins, 16-8.
The hot start continues for the Washington Nationals to open spring training after taking down the Miami Marlins, 16-8, on Sunday afternoon.
Brady House led the way after finishing 2-of-4 with a pair of home runs and four RBIs, Randal Diaz knocked through a pair of RBIs while Warming Bernabel finished 2-of-3 with an RBI in the win.
Mitchell Parker allowed one hit and threw one strikeout in a pair of innings pitched, while Jackson Rutledge, Gus Varland, Bryce Montes de Oca, Zach Penrod and Tyler Baum each pitching one inning in the blowout win with Baum and Varland combining to allow three hits until the ninth inning.
The scoring start with a three-run home run from Brady House, his first of what ended up being two home runs of the day. After Nasim Nunez singled and James Wood walked, House's home run in the opening frame marked the first runs in the game.
Miami answered with a two out RBI single in the bottom of the fourth before House struck again with a 398 foot home run to center field to open the fifth inning. Three consecutive doubles from Harry Ford, Keibert Ruiz and Robert Hassell III added two more runs for Washington before the Marlins turned to a pitching change. The Nationals would add three more to take a 9-1 lead through five.
Washington followed it up with two more runs in the top of the seventh inning after a single from Jack Rogers brought Randal Diaz home followed by an infield single that brought Kevin Made to the plate, bumping the Nationals' lead to 11-1.
In the top of the eighth inning, a triple from Warming Bernabel added the 12th run of the day after Dashyll Tejeda opened the inning with a walk. A sacrifice fly from Randal Diaz would then bring Bernabel home, extending Washington's lead to 13-1.
The run of Marlins pitchers continued into the ninth inning after Miami turned to 11 different pitchers on Sunday. Samuel Brown would get on base with a single for Tejada walked then Bernabel singled to load up the bases. The first pitching change would yield any results after Diaz was hit by a pitch, then Made walked and Leandro Pineda was hit by pitch, making it an even bigger blowout in the final inning.
Washington would turn to Connor Van Scoyoc to close the final two innings before giving up a 333 foot home run against the first batter before pitching coach Simon Matthews turned to Tucker Biven for the game's last two outs. But Bivens would give up a grand slam, then two-run home run, before getting out of a bases loaded jam with two outs to end the game.
Washington will return to action Monday night against the Philadelphia Phillies with opening pitch set for 6:05 PM. The game will be available via 106.7 The Fan with no streaming options currently set up for the game.