Three runs in both the sixth and ninth inning were enough to cement a 7-3 loss for the Washington Nationals against the Miami Marlins.
The Washington Nationals fell back into the loss column at home on Monday night after falling, 7-3, in game one of the three game series against the Miami Marlins.
Cade Cavalli drew the start where he tossed six strikeouts and allowed a pair of earned runs and five hits across five innings, his tenth start this season allowing two or more earned runs.
Curtis Mead also notched the lone multi-hit game for the Nationals after going 2-for-4 with one RBI in the loss.
The game opened with Cavalli struggling through opening inning after three walks helped the Marlins take the early lead. One of those walks, in fact, was why the Marlins scored their first run before a ground out ended the first frame.
Yet the Nationals would answer back the next inning thanks to CJ Abrams leading with a single into right before Jacob Young stayed hot with a 393 foot home run over the left field wall, marking his sixth since May 1 and eighth of the season, to go ahead, 2-1.
The Nationals added another in the third after James Wood reached second thanks to an infield single then throwing error, setting up Curtis Mead for the RBI single before also being called out at second to end the frame.
Cade Cavalli's night would end after giving up a leadoff single in the sixth inning, which proved to matter the rest of the way. After manager Blake Butera turned to Richard Lovelady out of the bullpen, a five-pitch at bat ended in a 406 foot home run into left field to tie the game at three. Lovelady then hit the next batter before a sac bunt pushed the runner to second, enough for an RBI double to push the Marlins back ahead, 4-3.
After Paxton Schultz stepped in to close the sixth and pitch through the seventh and eighth innings, the Marlins added three late insurance runs off two home runs with Cole Henry on the mound, pushing the lead to 7-3 in a deflating ending.
Henry first gave up a 379 foot solo home run before tossing a walk, then allowing a two-run, 391 foot home run over the right field wall to cement the loss at Nationals Park.
Now 31-30 overall, the Nationals will look to get back to even in the series when the two teams meet on Tuesday night with first pitch set for 6:45 PM. Miles Mikolas is set to make the start where he enters Tuesday with a 5.72 ERA and 1-4 overall record.
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