Otto Lopez’s two-run homer capped a six-run ninth inning and the Miami Marlins rallied past the host Washington Nationals 6-2 on Sunday.
With Max Kranick (0-1) in for the save, Esteury Ruiz bunted for a hit leading off the ninth. After Griffin Conine walked, a double steal put runners on second and third with one out. After Leo Jimenez walked, Tom Cosgrove replaced Kranick on the mound.
Cosgrove hit Jakob Marsee with his second pitch to force in a run. Joe Mack then flied to center, scoring Conine with the tying run. When center fielder Andrew Pinckney threw wildly to third trying to get Jimenez, the ball went into the dugout and Jimenez scored to make it 3-2.
Heriberto Hernandez walked, and Marsee scored on the front end of a double steal.
Lopez hit his 10th home run of the season into the Marlins bullpen to push the lead to 6-2. The Marlins tallied six times on only two hits in the inning.
Despite allowing a run in the eighth inning, Dax Fulton (1-0) earned the win.
Agustin Ramirez had two of the Marlins’ four hits. Miami had lost the previous two games to the Nats.
Jorbit Vivas had a double and two walks for the Nationals, who had won three straight.
Washington’s CJ Abrams went 0-for-4 in his first career start at second base.
Andrew Alvarez allowed two hits in six-plus innings for Washington. He struck out six and walked three.
Marlins starter Jansen Junk went 4 2/3 innings, allowing a run on four hits. Junk has allowed two earned runs or fewer in nine of his past 10 starts.
Miami second baseman Xavier Edwards left the game after a collision with Vivas on a tag play in the fifth. The Marlins later announced he had left elbow and thumb discomfort.
In the bottom of the inning, Jacob Young singled and scored when Nasim Nunez doubled off the base of the wall in right center.
Vivas walked with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Harry Ford hit a potential double-play grounder to third, but Jimenez threw wildly to second, gifting the Nationals runners on second and third. After pinch hitter Jose Tena walked, Miami brought the infield in and Nunez hit into a 4-2-3 double play.
In the eighth, pinch hitter Brady House walked and went to third when Andres Chaparro singled between third and short. House scored when Daylen Lile flied to deep left.
