Nats rally back for 10-7 win
The Washington Nationals exploded for four home runs, 10 runs, and 12 hits to overcome a 6-4 deficit in the seventh inning to defeat the Miami Marlins 10-7. Adam LaRoche hit two bombs, giving him 23 home runs on the season. Danny Espinosa ripped a three run shot in the 8th inning to give the Nats a 9-6 lead, followed back to back by a solo shot by Bruce Harper.
Jordan Zimmermann allowed 2 runs in the second inning to put the Nats in an early 2-0 deficit. LaRoche hit his first of the game in the bottom of the second to cut the deficit to 2-1. Carlos Lee put the Marlins up 3-1 with a single in the third inning. The Nats battled back in the bottom of the third with run scoring single by Ryan Zimmerman and an RBI single by Mike Morse to even the score at 3-3 in the third. The Marlins added two more in the fifth inning to take a 5-3 lead. LaRoche would hit his second of the night, another solo shot, in the sixth to cut the lead to 5-4. Marlins would score another in the seventh.
From there, the Nationals pounded the Marlins for 6 runs in the 8th inning. Steve Lombardozzi started off the six run eighth inning with an RBI single that scored LaRoche to cut the Marlins lead to 6-5. Rookie Tyler Moore added a pinch hit single to score Jayson Werth and knot the game at 6-6. From that point it was all Danny Espinosa and Bruce Harper. Espinosa launched a three run homer and was followed back to back by a solo shot by Harper to cap off the Nats 10 run win.
After six consecutive starts of not allowing more than one earned run, Jordan Zimmermann proved human, allowing 7 hits, 5 runs, 4 of which were earned, in five innings. Zimmermann threw 96 pitches, 66 for strikes. Tom Gorzelanny, Mike Gonzalez, and Ryan Mattheus combined for 3 innings of relief, allowing one unearned run. Tyler Clippard allowed 2 hits and a run, but picked up the save. Mattheus earned the win, improving to 4-1 out of the pen.
With the Nats win and a Braves loss tonight, the Nats lead is back to 3 games in the NL East.
Notes:
* Adam LaRoche's two home runs tonight brings his total to 23, third overall in the National League.
* New Nats catcher Kurt Suzuki was 0-3 in his Nats debut.
* Jayson Werth was 2-3 tonight. Since returning from injury, Werth is 4-8 with 3 runs scored.
* Adam LaRoche is on a tear, going 2-4 with 2 home runs tonight. Over his last 4 games, LaRoche is 8 for 16 with 4 home runs.
