Max Meyer allowed just two hits over seven innings for the visiting Miami Marlins, who beat the Washington Nationals 4-1 on Wednesday afternoon to complete the three-game sweep.
Joe Mack’s two-out, two-run single off reliever Clayton Beeter (1-1) in the top of the eighth put the Marlins ahead. It also capped a 2-for-3 game with a walk for Mack, the nine-hole hitter.
Esteury Ruiz hit his third homer of the season in the second inning to give the Marlins the early lead.
Washington tied the game in the third. Keibert Ruiz led off with a single, and Meyer then walked Luis Garcia Jr. and James Wood with an out between them. Dylan Crews hit a chopper up the middle that got past shortstop Otto Lopez for an error that scored Ruiz.
The two third-inning walks were the only ones Meyer (6-0) issued. The right-hander, who struck out seven, threw seven innings for the third time this season and earned a win for the fourth time in his last five starts.
Washington starter Andrew Alvarez went 4 2/3 innings. The left-hander gave up four hits, including Ruiz’s solo homer, and a walk. He also struck out five.
The Marlins stranded 13 runners on the day. They had two runners on base in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings but could not get the go-ahead run across. Beeter came in with two out in the seventh and struck out Kyle Stowers to leave runners at the corners.
Miami finally cashed in in the eighth as Beeter allowed a lead-off single to Xavier Edwards, who went 2-for-5. Liam Hicks walked, and a bunt single by Jakob Marsee loaded the bases.
Owen Caissie struck out, and Javier Sanoja forced Edwards at home. However, Mack followed with a blooper to shallow right on the next pitch.
Beeter went 1 1/3 innings and allowed three hits and a walk, along with the two runs. He struck out three.
Stowers tripled in the ninth inning to score Lopez, who singled off Gus Varland to start the inning.
Nationals reliever Pete Fairbanks hit Crews and gave up a single to Curtis Mead to start the ninth, but the right-hander retired the next three Nationals to get his seventh save.
