Marlins 3 - 4 Nationals
Final
  for this game

Desmond, Nationals edge Marlins

Aug 29, 2013 - 3:53 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Ian Desmond's go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning lifted the Washington Nationals to a 4-3 win over the Miami Marlins in the middle test of a three-game set.

Washington starter Stephen Strasburg tossed two scoreless innings before being replaced by Craig Stammen following a 72-minute rain delay.

"We'll see how he is tomorrow or the next day, but he could come back Sunday," Nats manager Davey Johnson said of Strasburg.

Jayson Werth smacked a solo homer for Washington, which has won seven of its last eight games. Drew Storen (4-2) tossed a scoreless seventh to pick up the win and Rafael Soriano fired a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his 35th save of the year.

Jeff Mathis and Giancarlo Stanton cracked solo shots for the Marlins, who have dropped seven of their last eight contests.

The Marlins led 3-2 after plating a pair in the top of the sixth, but the Nationals answered with a run in the home half and pushed across another in the seventh to take the lead.

Werth led off the sixth with a blast to center to tie it.

Denard Span walked against Mike Dunn (3-4) to begin the seventh before Ryan Zimmerman walked. Span moved to second when Dunn's pickoff throw got past Logan Morrison at first.

Bryce Harper struck out and Werth was intentionally walked to bring up Desmond, who pulled a base hit into left to bring home Span for a 4-3 margin.

Earlier, a pair of one-out doubles by Steve Lombardozzi and Harper in the second and third innings, respectively, staked Washington to a 2-0 lead, but the Marlins plated a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to go ahead.

Mathis' leadoff shot in the fifth got Washington on the board and Stanton's drive to center to begin the sixth tied it. Morrison and Donovan Solano proceeded to hit back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners, but Morrison was thrown out at the plate on Adeiny Hechavarria's grounder to third. Mathis, though, stepped up next and singled to left-center to plate Solano and make it 3-2.

Game Notes

Werth has 20 homers and 60 RBI this season ... The Nationals were 1-for-12 with runners in scoring, while Miami finished 2-for-11 with RISP.






Related News