Marlins Blow 9-0 Lead, Lose Opener In DC 14-12
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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) – For the first several innings, it looked like a rare easy win for the Miami Marlins.
Oh how things changed quickly, though.
Trea Turner hit two homers, including his first career grand slam, and drove in eight runs to help the Washington Nationals rally from a nine-run deficit and defeat the Marlins 14-12 in a wild slugfest Thursday night to end a five-game losing streak.
The Nationals, who dropped 17 of their previous 22, have won 12 consecutive games against Miami dating to last season — their longest winning streak against any team since the franchise moved to Washington in 2005.
The victory came a day after the Nationals called a players-only meeting Wednesday after Washington was swept by Boston and slipped under .500 for the first time since May 2.
But things didn't start smoothly.
Miami scored an unearned run in the first, and capped a six-run second on Martin Prado's three-run homer off the left-field foul pole. The Marlins made it 9-0 on Justin Bour's two-run homer in the fourth off Jeremy Hellickson.
Despite the huge deficit, Washington was far from out of it.
Turner led off the fourth with a solo shot off Marlins starter Pablo Lopez, who surrendered four more runs in the fifth — including two on Juan Soto's double. Adam Conley (2-1) then allowed four of the first five hitters he faced to reach in the sixth before Turner smacked a two-out fastball with the bases loaded into Miami's bullpen to give the Nationals a stunning 10-9 lead. It was Turner's third career multi-homer game.
Turner added a two-run single in Washington's four-run seventh. His eight RBIs tied for the most ever by a leadoff hitter, according to STATS LLC.
Shawn Kelley (1-0) pitched a scoreless sixth for the win. Sean Doolittle earned his 22nd save in 23 opportunities.
Matt Adams had four hits for Washington in his first game since a stint on the disabled list for a broken left index finger.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: Prado was activated from the disabled list after missing 37 games with a left hamstring strain. ... Miami recalled RHP Ben Meyer from Triple-A New Orleans, placed RHP Tayron Guerrero (left lumbar strain) on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to Wednesday and designated OF JB Shuck for assignment. ... SS JT Riddle (hip) was scratched from the lineup. ... RHP Sandy Alcantara (right axillary infection) is expected to be re-evaluated and begin a throwing progression Monday. ... OF Lewis Brinson (right hip) will be re-evaluated Monday.
Nationals: Manager Dave Martinez said the team is optimistic RHP Stephen Strasburg (shoulder inflammation) will be ready to return right after the All-Star break. ... 1B Ryan Zimmerman (right oblique strain) will start running the bases Friday or Saturday and could begin a rehabilitation assignment as early as Sunday. ... Washington recalled RHP Jefry Rodriguez from Triple-A Syracuse and placed RHP Erick Fedde on the 10-day disabled list. Fedde, who is 1-3 with a 5.79 ERA, left his start Wednesday in the second inning with right shoulder inflammation.
UP NEXT
Marlins: RHP Dan Straily (3-4, 4.70 ERA) has held NL East batters to a .202 average in five starts this season, though none of those outings have come against Washington.
Nationals: LHP Gio Gonzalez (6-5, 3.77) is winless in his last six starts, but is 10-3 with a 1.85 ERA lifetime against Miami.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
