The Washington Nationals blasted the Miami Marlins 9-2 at Nationals Park on Friday, breaking the game open with a three-run home run in the third inning and cruising from there in the opener of their weekend series.
Washington's offense took control against Marlins starter Eury Perez in the third inning, when a two-out, two-on home run put the Nationals firmly in front. Dylan Crews contributed a two-out RBI double that added to the damage, while Daylen Lile chipped in with a triple that drove in another run, pushing his RBI total to 75 on the season. Washington tacked on further insurance with a solo home run in the seventh inning off Miami reliever Monteverde, extending the lead well out of reach for the Marlins.
Miami's offense struggled to generate much against Washington's pitching and defense for most of the night. The Nationals turned a pair of double plays to snuff out Marlins scoring chances, and Miami was held to just 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position. The Marlins' only offense came via a Xavier Edwards RBI earlier in the game and a solo home run from Heriberto Hernández in the eighth inning off reliever Kranick, his 21st homer of the season — but it wasn't nearly enough to make a dent in Washington's lead.
The win extended a stretch of power production for a Nationals lineup that has been one of the most prolific in baseball in recent months, with the club continuing to spread its offense across multiple contributors rather than relying on a single bat. Washington entered the weekend fourth in the NL East but has shown flashes of the kind of offensive firepower that has made them a tough out even in a lost season, while Miami now turns its attention to salvaging the remainder of the series as the Marlins continue to fight to stay in the NL Wild Card picture.