The Washington Nationals led for seven innings on Friday night, but in the end, fell 3-2 in game one against the Miami Marlins
Following a series where they flashed in a narrow series loss, the Washington Nationals gave themselves a shot, but in the end, another weekend opened with a loss after opening the three game series against the Miami Marlins with a 3-2 loss.
Brad Lord lasted just 2.2 innings after tossing one strikeout, one walk and no hits allowed in 31 pitches before Blake Butera turned to Will Dion and the rest of the bullpen. Tom Cosgrove and Clayton Beeter were responsible for all three runs allowed in the loss, while Daylen Lile accounted for a third of the Nationals' hits after adding an RBI to a 3-for-5 day.
After seven combined hits between the two teams through five innings, Keibert Ruiz, who finished 2-for-4, kicked off the scoring after taking an 83 mph sweeper 388 feet for a solo home run into right field to put the Nationals ahead, 1-0. The Nationals appeared to threaten another scoring chance after Nasim Nunez singled into right with two outs before Jacob Young drew a six pitch walk, but the frame would end after Nunez was caught stealing third.
After Cosgrove replaced Orlando Ribalta on the mound, the Marlins would do almost everything they needed in the bottom of the eighth. A leadoff triple would set the tone before an RBI single into right field tied the game at one. Cosgrove would then notch a strikeout, but Butera would then turn to his bullpen once more with Beeter taking the mound to secure the final two outs. A ground out against Beeter's first batter faced was enough for a second out, but another single into right would give the Marlins their first lead of the day.
The Nationals, though, would answer back. After Dylan Crews and Jose Tena struck out to open the top of the ninth inning, Jacob Young drew another walk, this time on a seven pitch at bat, before Daylen Lile's third hit of the night was enough to deliver the game tying run with Lile reaching second for the potential game winning run. Yet that would never materialize, instead heading to the bottom of the inning after a fly out from Jorbit Vivas ended the frame.
Beeter, meanwhile, never recorded an out in his last appearance of the night after giving up a walk to the leadoff batter, followed by a sac bunt materializing into a second base runner following a throwing error by Beeter. After an intentional walk, Beeter would surrender a walk off single into center to cement the 3-2 loss.
The Nationals will look to even the series on Saturday with first pitch set for 4:10 PM.
