MIAMI (AP) — Keibert Ruiz had three hits, including a go-ahead double in the 10th inning, and the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 5-4 Wednesday night.
César Hernández tripled and doubled, Maikel Franco singled twice, and Juan Soto had three walks for the Nationals, who avoided their second three-game sweep to the Marlins this season.
Ruiz’s smash down the third-base line off reliever Daniel Castano (0-1) scored automatic runner Dee Strange-Gordon from third.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s sacrifice fly against Washington reliever Tanner Rainey (1-1) with the bases loaded in the ninth tied it at 4. The Nationals unsuccessfully appealed that Jesús Sánchez left third base before Soto caught Chisholm’s shot in right.
Victor Arano worked the 10th for his first save.
The Nationals broke a 3-3 tie after Miami reliever Anthony Bender hit Lane Thomas with the bases loaded in the eighth.
Marlins starter Pablo López, who began the day with a major league-best 1.05 ERA, had his shortest outing of the season, working three innings on 82 pitches. López allowed three runs, four hits, walked two and struck out two. The right-hander’s ERA rose to 1.57.
Chisholm tied it at 3 with his solo shot against starter Josiah Gray to lead off the fifth. Chisholm drove Gray’s fastball over the wall in center for his seventh homer.
Gray was lifted after six innings. He allowed three runs, six hits and struck out seven and hit a batter.
Consecutive RBI doubles from Alcides Escobar and Hernández in the second put Washington ahead 3-1 before the Marlins narrowed the deficit on Garrett Cooper’s sacrifice fly in the third.
The Nationals struck quickly against López. Hernández hit a leadoff triple and scored on a wild pitch.
Miami responded in the bottom half as leadoff hitter Chisholm also tripled and raced home on Jesús Aguilar’s sacrifice fly.
PLATE DISCIPLINE
Hernández set the tone early with his nine-pitch at bat in the first. The Nationals made López quickly build up his pitch count, resulting in his brief outing. After Hernández, the four other batters in the inning drew at least five pitches.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: OF Jorge Soler (back stiffness) missed his second consecutive game.
UP NEXT
Nationals: RHP Erick Fedde (2-2, 4.24) is the scheduled starter in the opener of a three-game set at Milwaukee Friday.
Marlins: LHP Trevor Rogers (2-4, 4.45) will start the opener of a home series against Atlanta Friday.
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