The Washington Nationals snapped an eight-game losing streak in their series against the Miami Marlins with a convincing 9-2 victory Friday night, powered by Brady House’s three-run homer and a career best performance from rookie starter Jackson Kent.
Kent delivered seven innings of one-run baseball to earn his first major league victory, while House provided the biggest blow with a 445-foot, three run home run in the third inning. The victory marked a welcome turnaround for Washington, which had scored only 15 total runs across its previous seven games against Miami.
The Nationals broke open a close game in the third inning after Marlins starter Eury Pérez struggled to find the strike zone. Pérez walked Washington’s first three batters on only 14 pitches, setting the stage for a five run inning.
Two runs scored on a wild pitch, giving Washington a 2-1 advantage before House launched his 10th homer of the season deep into the stands. His towering shot traveled 445 feet and gave the Nationals a 5-1 lead.
Kent settled in after the early support and turned in the best outing of his young major league career. The right-hander faced the Marlins for the second consecutive start and finally made it through five complete innings for the first time in his career.
Kent (1-2) finished with seven innings, allowing just three hits and one run while walking four. He threw 106 pitches in his fourth major league start, giving Washington a much needed dominant performance from its young rotation.
The Nationals added four more runs in the seventh to put the game out of reach. Harry Ford opened the scoring in the inning with his third home run of the season, sending a drive over the wall in left center field to make it 6-1.
Dylan Crews then delivered a double into the left field corner, bringing home two more runs. The hit extended Crews’ impressive on-base streak to eight consecutive games. Daylen Lile followed with a triple over the center fielder, scoring another run and giving him six triples on the season. Washington’s offensive outburst put the game firmly in its control.
Miami managed only two runs in the game. Heriberto Hernández supplied one of them with his fifth home run in nine games against Washington this season, continuing his success against Nationals pitching.
Pérez (7-10), meanwhile, was unable to recover from his difficult third inning. He allowed five earned runs over three innings, with 41 of his 74 pitches coming in the third as Washington repeatedly forced him into deep counts.
The Nationals’ nine-run performance was especially significant given their recent struggles against Miami. Washington had been dominated in the season series, losing eight straight games while producing just 15 runs over its previous seven meetings with the Marlins.
This time, the Nationals flipped the script early and never allowed Miami to mount a serious comeback.
Kent’s seven inning effort, combined with House’s power and a productive late offensive surge, gave Washington one of its most complete victories of the season.
For the Nationals, the win not only ended their frustrating skid against Miami but also provided encouraging signs from several young players. For the Marlins, the loss highlighted another difficult night for their offense and a rough outing from Pérez as they continue their push through the final stretch of the season.
