The Miami Marlins showed resilience on Wednesday night, erasing an early three-run deficit and riding a balanced offensive attack to an 8-3 victory over the Washington Nationals at loanDepot park.
Eric Wagaman delivered the decisive blow, lining a tiebreaking RBI single in the sixth inning that capped a furious rally. Xavier Edwards added insurance with a three-run homer, his third of the season, while Otto Lopez chipped in two RBIs as Miami turned a frustrating start into a commanding win.
The Nationals had built a 3-0 lead through six innings. Robert Hassell III opened the scoring with an RBI single in the third. In the sixth, Daylen Lile and Luis García Jr. each drove in runs to extend Washington’s advantage.
But a costly mistake shifted momentum. CJ Abrams’ error to begin the bottom half of the sixth cracked the door open, and the Marlins kicked it wide open. Jakob Marsee — who finished with four hits out of the leadoff spot — singled home a run, Lopez tied it with an RBI hit, and Agustín Ramírez added another. Wagaman then laced his go-ahead RBI single to give Miami a 4-3 lead.
The inning wasn’t without controversy. Marsee was originally ruled out on a tag play at second base, but the call was overturned to safe after an umpire conference. The Nationals challenged, but the ruling stood. Interim manager Miguel Cairo vehemently argued and was ejected by home plate umpire Laz Díaz. Later in the inning, starter Jake Irvin (8-12) was lifted and then ejected after expressing his displeasure with the decision.
The Marlins never looked back. Lopez added another RBI single in the seventh before Edwards crushed a three-run shot to right in the eighth, putting the game out of reach.
Miami starter Eury Pérez went 5 2/3 innings, striking out seven while allowing three earned runs on seven hits. Reliever Lake Bachar (6-2) earned the win with two-thirds of an inning of scoreless work.
For Washington, the loss wasted a solid early effort at the plate. Irvin was tagged with the defeat despite yielding just three earned runs across 5 1/3 innings.
Abrams’ error to begin the sixth sparked Miami’s comeback. Edwards (three hits) and Marsee (four hits) combined for seven from the top of Miami’s order.
The series wraps Thursday night. Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore (5-13, 4.15 ERA) comes off the injured list to start against Marlins southpaw Ryan Weathers (1-1, 3.28).
