Josh Bell homered to highlight his four-RBI performance and Mitchell Parker tossed 7 2/3 strong innings to fuel the visiting Washington Nationals to a 7-5 victory over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday.
Fresh off going deep twice in the Nationals’ 15-7 victory over the Marlins on Monday, Bell belted a three-run homer to stake Washington to a 3-0 lead in the first on Tuesday. He deposited a 2-1 slider from Adam Mazur (0-3) over the wall in right-center for his fourth homer in the last three games and 20th this season.
Bell added a sacrifice fly in the sixth for the Nationals (60-84), who have defeated the Marlins four times during their 7-1 run over the last eight games.
Parker (8-15) allowed two runs on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks to record his first win since July 26. He was 0-5 in his previous seven outings.
The Marlins (66-79) made it interesting in the ninth. Victor Mesa Jr. ripped a two-run double with two outs and came around to score after Xavier Edwards beat Bell to first base for an infield single. Jose Ferrer, however, induced Agustin Ramirez to ground out to secure his eighth save.
Nationals catcher Riley Adams exited the game in the bottom of the second after being hit in the groin by an Eric Wagaman foul ball. Adams was replaced by former Marlin Jorge Alfaro, who stayed in the game in the ninth despite suffering a similar injury.
Joey Wiemer trimmed Washington’s lead to 3-1 with a long solo homer to left in the second, but the Nationals responded with a pair of runs in the fourth and another in the fifth.
Jacob Young’s sacrifice fly to center allowed Alfaro to trot home, and a fielder’s choice by James Wood plated House to give Washington a 5-1 advantage in the fourth. Lile sent a 0-1 fastball from Mazur off the facade in the upper deck in right field in the fifth.
Mazur permitted six runs (four earned) on eight hits with three walks and one whiff in 4 1/3 innings.
