Joey Gallo slugged a three-run homer and Patrick Corbin won his third straight start as the visiting Washington Nationals defeated the Miami Marlins 6-2 on Tuesday night.
It was just the sixth homer of the year for Gallo, who has hit at least 38 dingers in a single season three times.
Corbin (5-12) allowed seven hits, three walks and two runs in 5 2/3 innings. Over his past three starts, he has a 1.53 ERA as he tries to avoid owning at least a share of the National League lead in losses for the fourth straight season.
Washington’s Keibert Ruiz went 3-for-4 and fell a triple short of the cycle as the Nationals (62-76) improved to 8-0 against Miami (51-87) this season.
Ruiz and Jacob Young — the No. 8 hitter and No. 9 hitter, respectively, in Washington’s lineup — went a combined 6-for-7 with three runs, two RBIs and one walk.
Max Meyer (3-5) took the loss, allowing nine hits — including two homers — one walk and five runs in 5 2/3 innings. He has allowed 14 long balls in 11 starts this season, including seven in his past four appearances.
Marlins right fielder Jesus Sanchez, who has 17 homers and 12 steals this year, left the game in the second inning due to a back spasm. He got hurt stealing second base.
Washington, which leads the NL in steals, got off to a rough start in that regard. In the first inning, rookie Dylan Crews got caught trying to swipe second.
The Nationals opened the scoring in the third, as Ruiz doubled and scored on Young’s single.
Miami threatened in the bottom of the third, putting runners on the corners with two outs. However, Jonah Bride struck out looking on a sinker that appeared to be wide of the plate.
The Nationals stretched their lead to 4-0 in the fourth when Andres Chaparro doubled, James Wood walked and Gallo went deep on a first-pitch fastball that he drilled 415 feet to center.
Miami cut its deficit to 4-1 in the fifth, as Nick Fortes doubled and later jogged home from third on Connor Norby’s double.
Both teams scored one run in the sixth. Ruiz golfed a solo homer on a low slider that he pulled to right-center. Miami countered with Cristian Pache’s double off the wall in right-center that scored David Hensley from first.
Washington made it 6-2 in the ninth on a run-scoring groundout by Chaparro.
–Field Level Media
