Marlins open July with walk-off loss to Nationals

The Washington Nationals have frustrated the Miami Marlins over the past week, sweeping them in Miami during their June 25-27 series. Then, in the opener of a three-game set at Nationals Park on Tuesday night, Trea Turner split the gap for a double off lefty José Quijada with two down in the home half of the ninth, bringing home Yan Gomes and with him a 3-2 win.

Miami’s July briefly got off to a wonderful start, as Miguel Rojas, Harold Ramirez and Garrett Cooper produced three consecutive singles against lefty Patrick Corbin, making his third start of the season against the Fish. Cooper’s single scored Rojas and gave the Marlins a quick 1-0 advantage.

But in the bottom half of the frame, Juan Soto—hitting .278 in ten games this season against the Marlins—drove a two-out, two-run home run into the right field seats against Zac Gallen, putting Washington ahead, 2-1. Gallen was facing the Nationals for the second time in six days, having given up three runs on four hits in five innings of work June 26.

The two teams then headed to the locker room while the contest was delayed for an hour and sixteen minutes due to poor weather. While the Fish chose to play it safe and removed Gallen from the game, Corbin was able to return to the contest. And for a majority of the night, he breezed through the Miami lineup, striking out seven and allowing just one run in seven innings. In three starts against the Fish this season, Corbin has surrendered just two runs in 23 innings.

Miami’s bullpen was magnificent Tuesday, as Adam Conley, Austin Brice, Nick Anderson and Quijada combined to toss 6.2 innings, surrendering just one run and punching out six. Anderson worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the home half of the eighth, after Ryan Zimmerman grounded out to shortstop with two down.

But in the end, the win belonged to the Nationals. After fouling off five pitches during the at-bat in the ninth, Turner smoked a 94 MPH four-seam fastball for the game-winning hit.

The Marlins will send 2019 NL All-Star Sandy Alcantara to the bump Wednesday night, looking to erase the memory of Tuesday’s defeat. Washington will bring out Stephen Strasburg, who recently faced the Marlins in Miami June 27, securing a win in the series finale. First pitch is at 6:05 PM.

Marlins vs. Nationals box score (Baseball Theater)

Fish Picks answer key

1. Nationals

2. Under

3. Under

4. No

5. Nationals