Leadoff batter Xavier Edwards went 3-for-5 with a three-run homer and scored three runs as the host Miami Marlins rallied to defeat the Washington Nationals 8-3 on Wednesday night.
Rookie Jakob Marsee also starred for Miami (67-79), going 4-for-5.
Washington (60-85) had beaten Miami five straight times, but the Marlins prevailed with the help of a four-run sixth inning.
Nationals starter Jake Irvin (8-12) allowed five hits, no walks and four runs, three earned, in five-plus innings. He struck out four. Irvin and Washington interim manager Miguel Cairo were ejected in that critical sixth inning following a disputed tag play.
Marlins starter Eury Perez escaped with a no-decision, allowing seven hits, no walks and three runs in 5 2/3 innings. He fanned seven. It was a bounce-back effort for Perez, who had pitched to an 8.53 ERA over his previous six starts. Prior to that, he had posted a 2.70 ERA in his first 10 starts.
Miami reliever Lake Bachar (6-2) retired two of the three batters he faced and was credited with the win.
Washington opened the scoring in the third inning as Brady House doubled and came home on Robert Hassell III’s single.
The Nationals increased their lead to 3-0 in the sixth. With two outs and no one on, Josh Bell singled and scored on rookie Daylen Lile’s triple down the right field line. It was Lile’s ninth triple of the season as it gave right fielder Joey Wiemer a tricky carom off the wall. Luis Garcia Jr. then added an RBI single.
But Miami took its first lead in the four-game series, which concludes Thursday, in the bottom of the sixth.
The rally started when shortstop CJ Abrams was charged with a fielding error on a 105 mph grounder hit by Maximo Acosta. It was Abrams’ 18th error of the season.
Edwards followed with a single, and Marsee made it 3-1 on his RBI hit. Miami got a run closer on Otto Lopez’s fielder’s choice, which included second baseman Garcia missing a tag on Marsee on that disputed play.
The rally was capped by consecutive pinch-hit RBI singles from Agustin Ramirez and Eric Wagaman.
Victor Mesa Jr. then nearly slugged a three-run homer as his 389-foot drive was caught at the right field wall by Dylan Crews. Mesa, a rookie, was so convinced the ball was a homer that he pounded his chest twice after contact.
Miami extended its lead to 5-3 in the seventh on Lopez’s RBI single, although the Marlins failed to add on with the bases loaded and one out.
Edwards’ homer in the eighth made it 8-3.
–Field Level Media
