The Miami Marlins closed out their three-game weekend series in winning fashion Sunday afternoon, defeating the Washington Nationals 5-2 behind a late offensive surge and strong bullpen work to take two of three games from Washington.
With the game tied entering the eighth inning, Christopher Morel delivered the decisive blow. Facing Nationals reliever Gus Varland, Morel lined a one-out single to center field that brought home the go-ahead run and gave Miami a 3-2 lead.
The Marlins then turned aggressive on the bases. After pulling off their second double steal of the inning, Heriberto Hernández followed with a two-run single that scored Morel and Jakob Marsee, extending the lead to 5-2.
Marsee once again showcased his speed, swiping another base to bring his season total to 12 stolen bases, tied for fifth most in Major League Baseball. Miami has become one of baseball’s most aggressive teams on the bases, leading the majors with 48 stolen bases this season.
Miami’s bullpen shut the door from there. Andrew Nardi recorded the first two outs of the ninth inning before rookie Josh Ekness came on to secure the final out for the first save of his major league career.
The Marlins earned their second consecutive victory after dropping five of their previous six games. Calvin Faucher improved to 4-2 on the season after tossing two hitless innings in relief while walking one batter.
Miami got on the board early in the third inning when Liam Hicks delivered an RBI single. Later in the frame, Xavier Edwards crossed the plate on a fielding error by Nationals shortstop Nasim Nuñez during Otto Lopez’s fielder’s choice, helping the Marlins build a 2-0 advantage.
Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara turned in a solid outing, allowing two runs on five hits across six innings.
Washington answered with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Brady House drove in a run on a groundout in the fourth before Luis García Jr. tied the game in the fifth with an RBI double.
Nationals starter Cade Cavalli pitched effectively at times, allowing two runs on four hits over 5 2/3 innings while striking out four batters. However, control issues proved costly as he hit three batters, including two consecutive hitters in the sixth inning.
Varland fell to 0-1 after surrendering the go-ahead run in the eighth.
The Nationals will continue their road trip Tuesday in Cincinnati as right-hander Miles Mikolas (1-3, 7.44 ERA) is scheduled to face Reds right-hander Brady Singer (2-2, 5.63 ERA).
Meanwhile, the Marlins head to Minnesota for a Tuesday matchup with the Twins. Miami is expected to send right-hander Eury Pérez (2-4, 5.01 ERA) to the mound against Minnesota right-hander Bailey Ober (3-2, 4.19 ERA).
Marlins Storm Back to Stun Nationals 8-7 Behind Marsee’s Late Homer on Saturday
The Miami Marlins erased a four-run deficit Saturday afternoon, rallying past the Washington Nationals 8-7 in a dramatic comeback victory fueled by timely power hitting and a lockdown bullpen finish.
Miami’s seventh comeback win of the season was its biggest yet, surpassing a three-run rally against the Colorado Rockies on March 29. The Marlins showed resilience throughout the afternoon, using home runs from Xavier Edwards and Jakob Marsee to completely flip the game late.
Washington appeared in control early after building a 4-0 lead, but the momentum began to shift in the fourth inning. Kyle Stowers sparked the comeback with a two-run homer to right field, cutting the deficit in half and energizing the Miami dugout. Stowers continued his standout day at the plate, finishing a triple shy of the cycle.
The Marlins chipped away again in the sixth when Owen Caissie delivered a sacrifice fly to make it 4-3. One inning later, Xavier Edwards launched a towering 422-foot solo homer to tie the game at 4-4, silencing the Nationals crowd and setting the stage for Miami’s decisive rally.
The breakthrough came in the eighth inning when Jakob Marsee crushed a hanging slider into the visiting bullpen in right field for a three-run homer that gave Miami its first lead of the day at 7-4. Leo Jiménez followed later in the inning with a sacrifice fly to add an important insurance run.
Otto Lopez continued his hot stretch for Miami with a single and a double, extending his hitting streak to 12 games now the longest active streak in Major League Baseball after Jacob Wilson went hitless against the Baltimore Orioles.
Miami starter Janson Junk battled through six innings, striking out six while allowing seven hits and four runs. Andrew Nardi improved to 3-2 after earning the win in relief, while John King recorded the final out for his first career save after Michael Petersen ran into trouble in the ninth inning.
Washington mounted one final push late, scoring three runs in the ninth to make things tense before King slammed the door shut.
Nationals reliever Mitchell Parker fell to 2-1 after allowing five hits and five runs in one inning of relief work. Richard Lovelady had been effective earlier for Washington, tossing two scoreless innings with three strikeouts as the Nationals’ opener.
The comeback victory continued a growing trend for Miami, a club that has shown an ability to fight back in games and deliver clutch offense late. Saturday’s rally may have been their most impressive yet.
Nationals Edge Marlins 3-2 Behind Griffin’s Dominant Start
The Washington Nationals rode a stellar outing from Foster Griffin and an early burst of offense to a 3-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Friday night.
Griffin delivered one of his best performances of the season, striking out a season-high nine batters across seven innings while allowing just two runs only one earned. The left-hander improved to 4-1 on the year after scattering four hits and retiring the final eight hitters he faced.
Washington wasted little time giving Griffin support against Miami rookie Robby Snelling, scoring all three of its runs in the opening inning. CJ Abrams singled, walked and drove in a run, while Jacob Young followed with a two-run homer to put the Nationals ahead 3-0 before many fans had settled into their seats.
Curtis Mead contributed with a double and two walks, while Nasim Nuñez continued to be a disruptive force on the bases. Nuñez singled, walked and stole two more bases, pushing his major league-leading total to 16.
The Marlins answered in the bottom of the first inning when Xavier Edwards launched a solo homer. Otto López later doubled and scored after a throwing error by Mead at first base on a ground ball from Kyle Stowers. Mead fielded the ball cleanly but made an errant toss to Griffin covering the bag, allowing López to race home and trim the deficit to 3-2.
After the rocky first inning, Griffin completely shut down Miami’s lineup. He mixed his pitches effectively and consistently worked ahead in counts, piling up strikeouts while limiting hard contact.
Brad Lord followed Griffin and retired five straight batters before Javier Sanoja reached on a throwing error by Abrams at shortstop. PJ Poulin then entered in relief, walked pinch-hitter Heriberto Hernández, but regrouped to retire Leo Jimenez and secure his second career save — and first of the season.
Snelling, meanwhile, showed flashes in his major league debut despite taking the loss. The 23-year-old left-hander allowed three runs on six hits over five innings, walking four and striking out two. Snelling was acquired by Miami from the San Diego Padres in the July 2024 trade that sent reliever Tanner Scott west. Since joining the organization, he quickly climbed through the Marlins’ farm system and entered the season rated as the club’s second-best pitching prospect before earning his promotion from Triple-A Jacksonville.
López continued to be one of the few bright spots for Miami, collecting three of the club’s five hits while extending his hitting streak to 11 games.
The loss dropped the Marlins to 2-6 during their current 10-game homestand, while the Nationals continued to build momentum behind strong pitching and timely offense.
