Sept. 12 – The Washington Nationals will look to continue their dominance against the visiting Miami Marlins in a four-game series on Thursday night.
The Nationals are 8-1 against the Marlins this year. Washington won its first eight games before losing to Miami on Sept. 4, 4-3, in 10 innings.
Washington (65-80) is coming off a two-game series with the visiting Atlanta Braves, which they won 5-1 on Wednesday to take the season series 8-5.
“Our guys did a really good job today,” said Nationals rookie Dylan Cruz, who had two hits and drove one in. “You’ve got to use this as fuel to keep going into tomorrow.”
Miami (54-92) was swept in three games by the host Pittsburgh Pirates in the previous series and lost 3-1 in Wednesday’s finale.
The Nationals will start left-hander Mitchell Parker (7-9, 4.43 ERA) on Thursday against Marlins right-hander Darren McCown (0-0, 7.40).
Parker is two wins behind the Nationals’ rookie wins record (since the team moved to Washington). The flag was set in 2008 by John Lannan.
Parker, making his 27th start, is looking for his first win since Aug. 21 against the Colorado Rockies. His last game came in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader against Pittsburgh, where he received a no-decision. Parker lasted only 3 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on six hits, striking out five and walking four.
He made two starts against the Marlins this season, on April 27 when he allowed a no-decision in four innings, and again on June 16, when he earned a point win in six innings.
McCown will make his fifth appearance (and third start) since the Cleveland Cavaliers reacquired him. In his most recent start, against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday, he pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs, a six-point ERA and a season-high four strikeouts, but he did not get a decision.
McKeon has a 10.66 ERA in three games on the road this year. He has never faced the Nationals.
Cruz, who is ranked as the No. 1 prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, has reached base safely in 11 of 14 games. Washington’s other rookie outfielder, James Wood, had two hits Wednesday and reached base safely for the 12th consecutive game and 18 of the last 19 games.
“We’ve done a good job of getting people involved, getting people in,” Cruz said. “When you do that as an offense, good things happen. It doesn’t matter who you’re facing.”
Despite the results in Pittsburgh, Miami head coach Skip Schumaker praised his team’s approach.
“Those guys were fighting,” he said. “There’s no doubt they played all three games. We had a chance to win or tie all three games. We just couldn’t make a big breakthrough.”
Miami’s Otto Lopez went 1-3 on Wednesday and tied for his sixth consecutive game with a safe hit. During that span, the rookie second baseman went 11 for 24 (.458) with three doubles, a home run and four RBIs.
Marlins reliever John McMillan was removed from the game Wednesday because of tightness in his right elbow after facing one batter in the third inning.
–Visual-level media
