— The Nationals just can’t sustain any momentum in their attempt to get back into the National League playoff chase.
Saturday night’s loss to the Marlins was a microcosm of their recent struggles.
Isaac Galloway hit a two-run single in the 10th inning
Dennis Smith Jersey , JT Riddle homered and drove in four runs and Miami beat Washington 7-5.
Following two singles and a fielder’s-choice grounder, the Nationals intentionally walked Riddle to load the bases with two outs in the 10th.
Galloway delivered with a hit to center off Koda Glover (0-2). The Marlins ended
a streak of 12 consecutive road losses and six in a row overall.
Both teams scored in the ninth. Riddle’s drive into the right-field stands off Nationals reliever Justin Miller put Miami up 5-4. Washington’s Adam Eaton
tied it with a homer off Drew Steckenrider leading off the bottom of the
inning.
The Nationals trailed 1-0 after Derek Dietrich’s second-inning homer and were down 4-2 in the sixth. They came back each time before the Marlins finally
finished them off.
Trea Turner homered and drove in three runs for the Nationals, who wasted a chance to pick up a game on the first-place Atlanta Braves in the NL East.
Washington won six of seven to move four games above .500 on Aug. 7, but has since lost eight of 12.
“If you give those guys more chances and don’t capitalize on your chances, then you’re not going to put yourself in a good spot to win,” Turner said.
“That’s kind of been the problem lately.”
With two runners on in the sixth, the Marlins benefited from second baseman Daniel Murphy’s fielding error that loaded the bases with one out. Two batters
later, Riddle lined a two-run
Braden Smith Jersey , two-out single over a leaping Murphy.
“It felt good, honestly. It’s been a while,” said Marlins manager Don Mattingly, who was ejected from Friday’s 8-2 loss.
Washington rebounded in the seventh with two runs. Video review determined that Tayron Guerrero hit Matt Wieters with a pitch, loading the bases.
Guerrero’s next offering was a wild pitch, scoring Murphy. Turner’s bloop single
to center drove in the tying run, but Juan Soto hit into a double play to end
the threat.
Riddle had two hits in Friday’s loss. His RBI double in the fifth scored Miami’s second run, and Riddle put the Marlins up 4-2 in the sixth with a
two-run single.
The shortstop
Kavon Frazier Jersey , who entered the series with a .211 batting average and five homers, isn’t the usual candidate for an intentional walk.
“I can’t remember,” he said of his last free pass. “I might have had one last year.”
Nationals manager Dave Martinez, dealing with a shorthanded bullpen beset by injuries and the decisions to unload Brandon Kintzler and Shawn Kelley, called
for the intentional pass with Riddle up in the 10th. Glover could not keep the
game tied.
“It’s not easy,” Martinez said of handling his current bullpen, “but I’m confident in those guys.”
Steckenrider (4-2) blew the save but finished the ninth to pick up the win. Brett Graves recorded the final three outs for his first career save.
Miami starter Wei-Yin Chen allowed two runs — both on Turner’s homer in the third — and five hits in 5 2/3 innings.
The Nationals recalled Jefry Rodriguez from Triple-A Syracuse for Saturday’s start while placing Jeremy Hellickson on the disabled list with a cervical nerve
impingement. Rodriguez allowed four runs, two earned
Chad Kelly Jersey , in five innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: INF/OF Garrett Cooper (right wrist sprain) played for the second straight day for Single-A Jupiter on Saturday. Cooper went 1 for 3 in five
innings at first base. … RHP Kyle Barraclough (lower back stiffness) threw a
live session on Saturday.
Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg, on the DL retroactive to July 22 with a cervical nerve impingement, threw more than 40 pitches in a bullpen session
Saturday. He is expected to make a start somewhere on Tuesday. “We’ll talk to
him (Sunday),” Martinez said. “We don’t know if it’s Tuesday here, or Tuesday in
a rehab stint.” … Reliever Kelvin Herrera (right rotator cuff impingement)
tossed 15 pitches in a simulated game earlier Saturday.
UP NEXT
Marlins: Jose Urena (3-12, 4.74 ERA) starts while appealing his six-game suspension for intentionally hitting Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. with a
pitch in Thursday’s loss at Atlanta.
Nationals: LHP Gio Gonzalez (7-9, 4.12) has a 2.25 ERA in two starts against Miami this season.
The Baltimore Orioles have placed reliever Darren O’Day and outfielder Craig Gentry on the 10-day disabled list.
O’Day hurt his left hamstring while fielding a bunt on Tuesday night and Gentry sustained a left rib fracture when hit by a pitch in Atlanta on
Friday.
It’s the second trip to the DL this season for O’Day, who missed a month with a hyperextended elbow.
This injury could also result in a lengthy absence. Manager Buck Showalter said
Matt Kalil Jersey , ”Not sure we can put a timeframe on it. It’s pretty sore.”
The sidearmer is 0-2 with a 3.60 ERA.
Gentry is batting .244 with a team-high 10 steals.
Baltimore recalled utility man Steve Wilkerson and right-hander Jimmy Yacabonis from Triple-A Norfolk. Wilkerson made his major league debut last
week, and Yacabonis is expected to start Thursday against Seattle in place of
Dylan Bundy, who went on the disabled list Tuesday.
—
Authentic Womens Keke Coutee Jersey
