Nationals 13, Marlins 3
WASHINGTON -- Third baseman Yunel Escobar went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs and Bryce Harper had three hits, a walk and scored three times as the Washington Nationals, with three big innings, thrashed the Miami Marlins 13-3 on Sunday.
Starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg benefitted from the offensive explosion as he improved to 10-7 while allowing two runs (one earned) and six hits with 10 strikeouts in seven innings. He has now struck out 37 batters in his last three starts to set a Nationals franchise record.
The Nationals (78-71), who won the last three games of the four-game series, momentarily pulled to within 6 1/2 games of the first-place New York Mets, who face the Yankees on Sunday night. The Marlins (64-86) lost a series for the first time since dropping two of three in Washington in late August.
Washington scored seven runs in the sixth to put the game out of reach after they scored three in the first.
Catcher Wilson Ramos had a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and first baseman Tyler Moore unloaded a three-run homer into the Marlins bullpen in left to make it 7-2 in the sixth. Later in the inning Escobar cleared the bases with a double to right-center to build the margin to 10-2.
Starter Justin Nicolino (3-4), who was pulled after the Moore homer, gave up seven hits and seven runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Miami had trimmed the margin to 3-2 on a solo homer in the sixth by center fielder Marcell Ozuna, his ninth of the year and first since Sept. 2.
The Marlins had pulled to within 3-1 in the second as third baseman Derek Dietrich scored on a throwing error by shortstop Ian Desmond.
The Nationals scored three runs in the first against Nicolino, making his first career start against Washington.
Left fielder Jayson Werth had a two-run double that went over the head of Ozuna. Then on the relay catcher Tomas Telis couldn't hold onto the ball as Harper slid into him and scored.
Desmond, who turned 30 on Sunday, followed with a sacrifice fly to give the Nationals a 3-0 lead.
Ozuna added his second hit, an RBI double in the eighth off reliever Matt Grace, to make the score 10-3.
Washington's Pedro Severino, 22, made his major league debut in the eighth as a he pinch-hit for Grace and lined a double off the wall in left off fellow Dominican Jose Urena.
Escobar then had his fourth hit, an RBI single, to give the Nationals a lead of 11-3. Reserve outfielder Matt den Dekker had a two-run single to score Escobar and Harper for a 13-3 bulge in the eighth.
Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas had two of the hits off Strasburg and left fielder Christian Yelich also had two hits. Harper entered Sunday second in the league in walks and now has 115.
NOTES: After a day off Monday the Marlins will begin a series on Tuesday at home with the Phillies as Miami RHP Tom Koehler (10-13, 3.90) faces RHP Aaron Harang (5-15, 5.04) of Philadelphia ... Washington will begin a series at home Monday as LHP Gio Gonzalez (11-7, 3.83) of the Nationals goes against Baltimore RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (11-9, 4.31) ... RHP Stephen Strasburg, the Washington starter on Sunday, tied his personal best with 14 strikeouts in his previous start on Tuesday at Philadelphia.