Marlins 6, Nationals 4
WASHINGTON -- Martin Prado and Adeiny Hechavarria each had two hits and drove in two runs as the Miami Marlins beat the Washington Nationals 6-4 Thursday, spoiling the home opener for a team that won the National League East title twice the past four seasons.
Since 2013, the Marlins were 20-37 against Washington, but the visitors prevailed thanks to a balanced attack in the middle of their lineup and by collecting four run-scoring hits coming with two outs.
A.J. Ramos threw a hitless ninth inning for the save, closing the first win of the season for the Marlins (1-2). The Nationals fell to 2-1.
Each team scored three times in the first inning. Miami went in front for good on Hechavarria's third-inning single, and reliever David Phelps added an RBI hit in the fifth for a 5-3 lead.
The Marlins tagged on an insurance run in the seventh to make it 6-3. Hechavvaria had an RBI double with two outs to score Justin Bour, a product of nearby George Mason University, who had doubled.
Washington's Bryce Harper hit a solo homer to right in the bottom of the seventh off Bryan Morris to cut the margin to 6-4. Harper also homered on Opening Day in Atlanta on Monday. Harper flied out to deep center to begin the ninth off Ramos.
Phelps (1-0) threw four scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out three.
Nationals starter Tanner Roark (0-1) gave up four runs (three earned) on nine hits in four innings.
Bour, Giancarlo Stanton and J.T. Realmuto also had two hits for the Marlins, who gave up 15 runs in their first two losses to the Detroit Tigers. Daniel Murphy had two hits for the Nationals, including a three-run triple in the first inning, and Anthony Rendon added two hits.
Phelps, who came on in the second inning after a rain delay, collected his first major league RBI. He began his career with the New York Yankees in 2012.
NOTES: The rain delay lasted 1 hour, 25 minutes after the top of the second inning. ... The Nationals lost a challenge in the bottom of the fifth when RF Jayson Werth was called out at first via a tag by Justin Bour. If Werth had been ruled safe, the bases would have been loaded with two outs. ... Washington RHP Joe Ross will face Marlins RHP Tom Koehler in the second game of the series Saturday. ... Thursday was the first home game with the Nationals for manager Dusty Baker, who last managed during the 2013 season with the Cincinnati Reds. Baker took over for Matt Williams, who was let go after two seasons. ... Nationals RF Bryce Harper, the reigning National League MVP, has 98 career homers and 98 career doubles. The only other Nationals to reach 100 career homers are 1B Ryan Zimmerman (200) and OF/SS Ian Desmond (110), now with the Texas Rangers. ... Marlins 2B Dee Gordon entered the game with six hits in first 11 at-bats this season and a 12-game hitting streak at Nationals Park. However, he went 0-for-4.