Matt Mervis crushed a three-run homer in the seventh inning to break open a tight game, and the Miami Marlins rolled to an 11-4 win over the Washington Nationals on Sunday afternoon at Nationals Park, clinching the rubber game of the weekend series.
With two outs and two on in the seventh, Marlins manager Clayton McCullough made a key move, sending Mervis up to pinch-hit for Jonah Bride. Mervis rewarded the decision by launching a fastball from Nationals reliever Jorge López deep to center for his fifth homer of the season, giving Miami a 7-3 lead and shifting momentum squarely in the Marlins’ favor.
The Marlins piled on in the eighth, as Kyle Stowers delivered a two-run double, and Miami tacked on two more runs to make it 11-4. Stowers and Eric Wagaman each had three hits, combining for six of the Marlins’ 14 hits in a potent offensive showing.
Ronny Henriquez (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless inning of relief, helping Miami move past a rocky start by Cal Quantrill, who allowed three runs over five innings. Quantrill gave up seven hits and five walks but kept the game within reach.
The Nationals had opportunities throughout the game, tallying 10 hits and drawing eight walks. However, they struggled with runners in scoring position, scoring just twice off the free passes—both times by Amed Rosario. Jacob Young had two hits and an RBI, while Paul DeJong and Alex Call each added run-scoring singles.
Washington starter MacKenzie Gore (1-2) battled through six innings, allowing four runs on eight hits while striking out seven and walking three.
One bright spot for the Nationals came in the ninth when right-hander Cole Henry made his long-awaited major league debut. The 27-year-old, a second-round pick in 2020 who was sidelined by thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in 2022, struck out two and allowed just one hit in a scoreless inning.
Miami trailed 3-1 before Bride and Javier Sanoja delivered RBI singles in the fourth to tie the game, setting the stage for Mervis’ go-ahead homer in the seventh.
Despite drawing eight walks, the Nationals converted only two into runs, both courtesy of Rosario’s heads-up baserunning.
Both teams head into new series with uncertain rotations. The Nationals open a four-game set Monday in Pittsburgh against the Pirates, while the Marlins return home Tuesday to face the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Miami now improves to 6-4 over its last 10 games, showing signs of life after a sluggish start to the season.
