Jesse Winker's grand slam sparks Nationals to 11-4 win over Marlins
MIAMI (AP) — Jesse Winker hit a grand slam in the fifth inning, one of three Washington home runs, and the Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 11-4 on Saturday.
Keibert Ruiz and Nick Senzel also homered for the Nationals, who won their second straight game after getting swept in a three-game series against the Dodgers.
Washington starter Mitchell Parker gave up one run on six hits and struck out two with two walks. He was lifted after four innings and 82 pitches.
“You're not going to have everything every day," said Parker, who had won his first two starts of the season. He had to work out of a couple jams early on Saturday. “... The offense carried me a lot today, so I'm grateful for that.”
Jacob Barnes (1-0) and former Marlins Dylan Floro and Matt Barnes combined for four scoreless innings of relief before the Marlins came to life against Tanner Rainey in the ninth.
Rainey surrendered a one-out triple to Vidal Bruján, who scored on Christian Bethancourt’s single. Pinch hitter Otto Lopez hit a solo shot to make it 11-4 before Rainey retired Bryan De La Cruz and Nick Gordon to end the game.
“Obviously this is not what we envisioned in spring training,” said manager Skip Schumaker, whose last-place Marlins fell to 6-22. “We've had some injuries, but a lot of teams have had injuries. We just haven't played clean baseball. We've had some tough losses ... today was probably the sloppiest of all of them, honestly.”
Eddie Rosario broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth when he was called safe at home after Jacob Young hit a grounder to first baseman Emmanuel Rivera, who threw home to try and get Rosario out at the plate.
The Marlins challenged the call that Rosario beat catcher Bethancourt's tag, but it was upheld after a lengthy review. CJ Abrams then walked on four pitches to load the bases for Winker, who hammered a 391-foot shot to right off Edward Cabrera (1-1) on a 2-1 curveball.
“I just wanted to hit a ball in the air,” Winker said. "Obviously it was bases loaded. I just wanted to hit a sac fly. Cabrera had my number, so I just wanted to really simplify that at-bat and hit a ball in the air. And it got up and got out, so I was really happy about that.”
Washington scored five runs on just two hits in the fifth.
Cabrera allowed four hits and six runs (five earned) in 4 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking two.
Young scored four times, including on a throwing error by third baseman Bruján in the sixth.
Ruiz and Senzel both hit solo shots off reliever Kent Emanuel in the three-run seventh.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Nationals: Placed 1B Joey Gallo on the 10-day IL with a shoulder sprain and recalled OF Alex Call from Triple-A Rochester.
Marlins: Selected the contract of LHP Kent Emanuel from Triple-A Jacksonville and designated RHP Kyle Tyler for assignment.
UP NEXT
Left-hander Patrick Corbin (0-3, 6.51) will start for the Nationals against Marlins left-hander Ryan Weathers (2-2, 3.16).
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