The Marlins kept their postseason push alive Sunday with a 6-2 win over the Nationals at loanDepot park, completing the sweep behind Xavier Edwards’ two RBIs and 4 1/3 innings from the bullpen.
Miami entered the finale sitting at 67-64, 5.6 percent to make the playoffs and four games behind the Padres, who were 70-60, for the final National League Wild Card spot. There are 31 games left in the regular season.
The game started with Miami striking first. Agustín Ramírez worked an 11-pitch walk on his bobblehead day, and Heriberto Hernández followed with a double that brought him home for a 1-0 lead in the first.
Janson Junk handled the early innings for Miami, giving up one run over 4 2/3 frames before Clayton McCullough went to Michael Petersen with two runners aboard. Petersen ran into trouble by issuing a walk and loading the bases, but he bailed out the Marlins by striking out Abimelec Ortiz on a slider to end the threat.
Miami answered in the fifth with a two-out rally that swung the game back in its favor. Otto Lopez drew a walk, Ramírez singled and Hernández walked to load the bases for Edwards, who delivered a two-run single to left.
Washington made it 3-2 in the sixth against Calvin Faucher, but the Marlins pushed right back. Joe Mack came through with a pinch-hit RBI double, and Lopez added a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning to stretch the lead to 5-2. Mack then added another run with a fielder’s choice in the eighth.
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Hutton arrived in Miami in 1997 after already building a broad resume that included work with the Expos, Yankees and Blue Jays, along with national telecasts. The tribute featured ceremonial first pitches and video messages, a fitting nod to a broadcaster whose presence helped bridge the franchises early years in South Florida with the fans who kept listening year after year. [Read more 🡒]