Field Level Media
Apr 20, 2019
The host Miami Marlins clinched their first series win of the season, beating three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer and the Washington Nationals 9-3 on Saturday night.
Besides the loss, there was more bad news for Washington as third baseman Anthony Rendon left the game after he was hit on his left elbow by a 95 mph fastball thrown by Marlins starter Jose Urena. Rendon went 0-for-1, ending the majors' longest active hit streak at 17 games.
Scherzer (1-3) gave up 11 hits -- one short off his career worst -- and seven runs, six earned. He struck out nine and walked none.
Miami, which fired hitting coach Mike Pagliarulo on Friday night, entered the game last in the majors in runs scored. But on Saturday, the Marlins got two hits and two RBIs each from Curtis Granderson and Starlin Castro.
Urena (1-3) surrendered eight hits, one walk and three runs (two earned) in six innings. It was his first career win in March/April starts after seven losses.
Miami scored twice in the first, producing three line drives against Scherzer's off-speed pitches. Granderson singled off a changeup, Brian Anderson pulled an RBI double off the bottom of the left-field wall off a hanging curve, and Castro singled just over shortstop Wilmer Difo off a slider.
Washington tied the score with two runs in the third. Victor Robles doubled, Rendon was hit by the pitch, and Matt Adams stroked a two-run, opposite-field single, beating a shift with two outs.
Miami regained the lead 3-2 in the bottom of the third. Martin Prado singled, advanced to second on a hit-and-run groundout and scored when Castro slapped a full-count slider past a diving Howie Kendrick, who replaced Rendon at third.
Washington tied the score in the fifth. Robles led off with a bunt hit down the third-base line, advanced to second on a groundout and scored on Kendrick's opposite-field single.
Miami took the lead for good at 4-3 in the fifth when Granderson pulled a solo homer to right, his third home run of the season, leading off the inning.
The Marlins extended their lead to 7-3 in the sixth. With runners on second and third, pinch hitter Rosell Herrera's swinging bunt went about 10 feet, and two runs scored as Scherzer threw wildly to the plate trying to get Miguel Rojas.
Granderson then greeted reliever Tony Sipp with a long drive to center. Robles caught it before banging into the wall, and Herrera tagged, scoring from second.
Miami added single runs in the seventh and eighth.
--Field Level Media