Field Level Media
Jun 27, 2021
Trea Turner and Josh Bell homered as part of a four-run, game-breaking sixth inning, leading the Washington Nationals to a 5-1 win over the host Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon.
Max Scherzer (7-4) earned the win as the Nationals split the four-game series. He struck out seven batters in six innings, allowing five hits, two walks and one run.
Washington, which has won 11 of its past 14 games, got stellar relief pitching from Tanner Rainey, Austin Voth and Brad Hand, who combined to hold Miami to one hit, one walk and no runs in three nearly perfect innings.
Nationals slugger Kyle Schwarber, who is one of the hottest hitters in baseball with 13 homers in his past 16 games, went 0-for-3. He has cooled off the past two games, going a combined 0-for-7.
Washington center fielder Victor Robles left the game in the seventh inning after he was hit by a pitch on his left leg.
Sandy Alcantara (4-7) took the loss and is now 1-6 in his career against Washington. Alcantara, who had been 2-1 with a 1.19 ERA in his four starts preceding Sunday, lasted just 5 1/3 innings. He allowed six hits, three walks and five runs, four earned.
Miami has lost nine of its past 13 games.
Both teams scored one run in the first inning.
For Washington, it was an unearned run following a fielding error by Marlins third baseman Jon Berti. Schwarber reached base on the play, advanced to second on Juan Soto's walk and scored on Josh Harrison's single.
In the bottom of the frame, Miami's Jazz Chisholm tripled for the second time in two games. He then jogged home on Jesus Aguilar's double down the left-field line.
Washington threatened in the second on Alex Avila's leadoff double. But Alcantara picked Avila off of second base.
The Nationals, though, took a 5-1 lead in the sixth as Turner and Bell slugged two-run, opposite-field homers, and Miami never recovered.
--Field Level Media