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Nationals 6-3 over Marlins: Jayson Werth and Zach Walters homer to lift Nats

The Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins were tied up at 3-3 after seven innings, but Nats' infielder Zach Walters busted that up with a solo home run to left field that hit halfway up on the foul pole and gave the Nationals a 4-3 lead in what ended up a 6-3 win.

By Patrick Reddington
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Marlins Park Top 5:

5. Quick Recap: Miami Marlins' right-hander Jose Fernandez tore through the Washington Nationals' lineup in the first five innings of tonight's series finale in Marlins Park, throwing 5.0 scoreless on 58 pitches in which he struck out six and allowed just one hit.

The 21-year-old right-hander was given a 3-0 lead to work with in the fourth, courtesy of a three-run blast that Miami's second baseman, Derek Dietrich, bounced off the facade of the second deck in right to get the Fish on the board against Nats' starter Tanner Roark.

Jose Fernandez was one out away from his sixth scoreless frame when Jayson Werth took an 0-1 curve out the other way for a three-run home run that tied things up at 3-3 after six.

With the score still tied at 3-3 after seven, pinch hitter Zach Walters stepped in against Marlins' lefty Mike Dunn and hit a 1-0 slider out to left for a no-doubter and his second home run in two days after hitting his first major league blast the other way last night. The Nationals' switch-hitting infielder's second home run made it a 4-3 game.

The Nationals loaded the bases with one down, five batters after Walters' home run and Ian Desmond came through with a two-run single to left that gave the Nationals a 6-3 lead after eight.

4. Unvincible?: Through seventeen starts in Marlins Park thus far in his career, 21-year-old Miami Marlins' hurler Jose Fernandez was (11-0) in his home park with a 1.14 ERA, 2.23 FIP, 30 walks (2.44 BB/9) and 125 Ks (10.17 K/9) in 110 2/3 IP before tonight, over which the right-hander held opposing hitters to a .163/.226/.227 line. Against the Nationals so far in his second major league season, the Marlins' starter in the series finale in Miami was (1-0) with a 0.69 ERA, five walks (3.46 BB/9) and 13 Ks (9.00 K/9) in 13 IP in which he'd allowed just one run.

Fernandez was, however, coming off a rough outing on the road in Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park which saw him surrender eight hits, four walks and six runs in just 4 IP over which he threw 87 pitches.

Back in the Marlins' lime green walled home tonight, the right-hander started the game with a 12-pitch, 1-2-3 top of the first inning vs the Nationals.

Danny Espinosa doubled on a sharp grounder that bounced off Marlins' second baseman Derek Dietrich and out into center field, allowing a hustling Espinosa to take second on the play, but a flyout to left by Tyler Moore ended Fernandez's second scoreless after 12 pitches. 24 overall after two.

Fernandez got three quick outs on nine pitches to the Nationals' 8-9-1 hitters in a scoreless third.

Anthony Rendon watched a filthy 1-2 slider break in for a called strike three in the top of the fourth inning. Jayson Werth went down flailing at a 2-2 fastball outside. An 0-2 curve to Adam LaRoche ended a quick, 1-2-3 fourth in which Jose Fernandez struck out the side on 12 pitches.

The Nationals went down in order again in the fifth, with Tyler Moore striking out to end the inning with Fernandez's sixth K. The 13-pitch inning left the Marlins' right-hander at 58 pitches overall after five.

Nats' catcher Jose Lobaton hustled around to second with a leadoff double to right in the sixth and the Nationals' second hit off Jose Fernandez. Jarrod Saltalamacchia made an ill-advised attempt to cut the lead runner down on a bunt by Tanner Roark, and threw wide of the bag, leaving both runners safe. Nate McLouth K'd swinging with runners on the corners for out no.1. Anthony Rendon popped to right for out no.2, but Jayson Werth went the other way with an 0-1 curve in the next at bat and hit a game-tying, two-out, three-run home over the wall in right to make it a 3-3 game after six in Miami.

Fernandez came back out for the seventh and added two Ks in a 13-pitch, 1-2-3 inning. 10 Ks total. 97 pitches in 7.0 IP.

3. Row-ark: Tanner Roark lasted just 4 2/3 innings last time out against the Atlanta Braves in Turner Field in a start in which he gave up five hits, a walk and five earned runs in a 7-6 loss in which he received no decision.

That start came on eight days rest, however, something Matt Williams was unwilling to blame for the pitcher's struggles when he talked to reporters after the game.

"I don't know," Williams said when asked if the long layoff affected the 27-year-old right-hander. "He threw bullpens in between and he was feeling good, so I don't think there was any issue with that. His command was a little off tonight. Certainly wanted to command both sides of the plate, but he was a little bit wild. Bottom line to it is, we got back into the game and had a chance to win it."

Roark gave up three of the hits and four of the five runs he surrendered to the Braves in a 30-pitch second inning, but he calmed down and kept the Nationals in the game long enough for them to rally.

Tonight in Miami, Roark made his fourth appearance against the Marlins in the majors, starting the game with his 10th scoreless inning of work against the Fish...

1st: Christian Yelich K'd looking at an 0-2 fastball knee-high outside for the first out of the Marlins' first and Marcell Ozuna sent the first pitch he saw out to short for two quick outs in the bottom of the inning. Giancarlo Stanton took a healthy cut at a 1-0 fastball in the next AB, but shattered his bat and grounded out to Ian Desmond to end a seven-pitch, 1-2-3 inning for Roark.

2nd: A 76 mph 1-2 curve to Garrett Jones got a groundout to first and Tanner Roark got over to cover for his fourth straight out to start tonight's game. A 92 mph 1-2 fastball got a groundout to short for out no.2 and groundout no.4 from the first five batters of the game. Jarrod Saltalamacchia stepped up with two down and took a 3-1 fastball for ball four and a walk in front of Derek Dietrich, who worked the count full before flying out to left field to end a 20-pitch second that left Roark at 27 pitches total after two.

3rd: Marlins' shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria sent a weak grounder out to second base for the first out of the third. Jose Fernandez sent groundout no.6 of the game out to Anthony Rendon. Tanner Roark walked Christian Yelich on four pitches to put a runner on in front of Marcell Ozuna, who fell behind 0-2 before shooting a grounder by a diving Danny Espinosa for a two-out single. Giancarlo Stanton came up with two on and two out and grounded into a force at second to end a 16-pitch frame after which Roark was up to 43 pitches.

4th: Garrett Jones took an 0-2 curve to left for a leadoff single in the Marlins' fourth. Casey McGehee went up 2-1 and found a fastball he liked, singling to center to put two runners on with no one out. Jarrod Saltalamacchia popped out to left on a 1-1 fastball for out no.1, but Derek Dietrich took an 0-1 fastball to right-center in the next at bat and hit a 3-run home run off the facade of the second deck. 3-0 Marlins. Adeiny Hechavarria flew out to center for out no.2 and Roark got the opposing pitcher looking to end a 20-pitch frame at 63 pitches overall.

5th: Christian Yelich K'd swinging at a 1-2 curve for the first out of the Marlins' fifth. Marcell Ozuna took a 2-2 slider to left-center for a one-out double that found the gap, bringing Giancarlo Stanton up with a runner in scoring position. Roark threw a pickoff attempt away, sending it over Danny Espinosa and into center field, allowing Ozuna to take third. Roark threw a 2-2 slider by Stanton to get out no.2, then popped Garrett Jones up to end a scoreless fifth after 15 pitches. 78 overall after five. Still 3-0 Fish.

• 6th: Casey McGehee sent groundout no.8 out to short to start the Marlins' sixth. After Jarrod Saltalamacchia singled to center, Derek Dietrich K'd swinging for out no.2 and Adeiny Hechavarria flew out to right to end the inning. 11-pitch frame, 89 overall after six.

7th: Pinch hitter Reed Johnson popped out to left to start the Marlins' seventh. After Christian Yelich singled with one down, extending his hit streak to 11 straight games, Tanner Roark was lifted in favor of Drew Storen. Marcell Ozuna worked the count full but grounded into a 6-4-3 inning ending DP.

2. WERTHQUAKE!!!: After 5 2/3 scoreless, the Nationals finally got to Marlins' starter Jose Fernandez in the sixth. Jose Lobaton doubled to start the frame and took third on a bunt attempt by Tanner Roark on which Jarrod Saltalamacchia made a bad decision to try to cut down the lead runner. Fernandez got the next two outs, but the error and bad choice by the Marlins' catcher gave Jayson Werth a shot with two runners on and the Nats' right-fielder took advantage of the extra out, hitting a three-run home run out to right field to tie things up after five and half in Miami.

1. WALTQUAKE: After Drew Storen, Ian Desmond, Danny Espinosa and Adam LaRoche combined on the inning-ending DP in the seventh, pinch hitter Zach Walters stepped in from the right side against Marlins' lefty Mike Dunn and hit a no-doubter to left field that gave the Nationals a 4-3 lead. The Nationals loaded the bases with one down against Marlins' right A.J. Ramos and Ian Desmond hit a two-run single through the left side to make it a 6-3 game after eight in Marlins Park.

Tyler Clippard threw a scoreless eighth inning after the Nationals took the lead.

"Pitch it, Soriano! Pitch it, Soriano! Strike'em out, Soriano! Strike'em out, Soriano!" Rafael Soriano took over in the bottom of the ninth looking for save no.3 of 2014. Jarrod Saltalamacchia popped up on the first pitch he saw. Derek Dietrich K'd swinging for out no.2. Adeiny Hechavarria grounded out to short to end it. Ballgame.

Work's done! Untuck that jersey, son! Save no.3. Nationals win.

Nationals now 9-6

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