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Nationals and Marlins split doubleheader, Fish take nightcap, 15-7

The Miami Marlins outslugged the Washington Nationals to take the nightcap of the doubleheader in Nationals Park. 15-7 final. Nats' outfielder Steven Souza and Tyler Moore did hit some impressive home runs though. So there's that...

By Patrick Reddington
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Clinched Best Record Top 5:

5. Quick Recap: Washington Nationals' right-hander Taylor Hill walked the first batter he faced in the nightcap of the Nats and Miami Marlins' doubleheader and Fish leadoff man Christian Yelich moved up on a single by Donovan Solano and scored when Casey McGehee sent a soft liner to center for the second straight hit, 1-0 Marlins.

The Nationals came right back in the bottom of inning, however, with Michael Taylor doubling to right-center to start the frame and scoring on a single to center by Kevin Frandsen. Frandsen scored when Jayson Werth tripled in the next at bat and Werth came in on a groundout to second by Wilson Ramos. 3-1 Nats.

The Marlins cut into the Nats' lead in the top of the second with Justin Bour singling and taking third on a ground-rule double to center by catcher J.T. Realmuto before scoring on a groundout by Adeiny Hechavarria to make it 3-2 Nats.

Nationals' slugger Steven Souza made it a 4-2 game in the bottom of third, however, getting hold of a 3-2 fastball from Marlins' lefty Andrew Heaney and hitting a tape-measure blast to the Red Porch seats for his second major league home run.

The Marlins rallied with two down in the fifth to take a 6-4 lead with catcher J.T. Realmuto hitting a base-clearing triple by third to knock Taylor Hill out of the game.

Adeiny Hechavarria doubled off Ross Detwiler to drive Realmuto in and make it 7-4 Fish in the 5th.

Jayson Werth singled to start the bottom of the fifth, took third on a single to left by Wilson Ramos and scored on a double play grounder off Tyler Moore's bat, 7-5.

Jeff Kobernus was one of two Nationals hit by pitches in the sixth. He took third on a two-out single by Michael Taylor and scored on an RBI single to center by Kevin Frandsen, whose second hit of the night drove in the Nats' sixth run. 7-6 Marlins after six.

Xavier Cedeno took the mound in the seventh and gave up back-to-back-to-back hits with the third a two-run double by right-center by Justin Bour that made it 9-6 Marlins. Bour scored one out later on a swinging bunt by Adeiny Hechvarria to make it 10-6.

Tyler Moore's fourth home run in the majors this season made it a 10-7 game. Moore's fourth of 2014 was a solo shot to right on a 95 mph fastball from Marlins' right-hander Chris Hatcher.

The Marlins added five runs in the ninth on an RBI single by J.T. Realmuto and a grand slam by Enrique Hernandez as the Fish took a 15-7 lead. That's how it ended.

4. Taylor Hill's back: Before tonight's night-half of the day/night doubleheader, the Washington Nationals made the official announcement that they were recalling 25-year-old right-hander Taylor Hill to start against the Miami Marlins:

The Nationals' 2011 6th Round pick out of Vanderbilt University was called up in late June to make his MLB debut and help out of the pen.

He made two appearances as a reliever, giving up five hits, a walk and two earned runs over 3 ⅓ IP against the Milwaukee Brewers in Miller Park in his first major league outing.

"He didn't get any sleep last night," Matt Williams said after Hill flew to join the team for his MLB debut.

"Got here this morning, went through everything with regard to the signs and all that stuff and went out there and pitched. And he did well. He threw a lot of pitches, but it's okay, he's been used to that, and he was excited, so different circumstance it could be a better day for him, but nonetheless he's excited to be here."

Two days later, he threw a scoreless inning of work on the road against the Cubs in Chicago's Wrigley Field.

After that Hill was sent back to Triple-A Syracuse to resume work as a starter with the Nationals' top minor league affiliate.

Hill made two starts for the Chiefs in 2013, but in his first season of AAA-ball, he went (11-7) with a save in 25 games and 24 starts, a 2.81 ERA, 4.23 FIP and a .246 BAA over 144 IP.

Hill was throwing at the Nats' minor league facilities in Viera, Florida in case he was needed down the stretch and he was called upon tonight with the Nationals playing their second doubleheader in two games.

The first start for Hill in the majors began with a walk?

1st: Christian Yelich walked to start the top of the first. Donovan Solano sent a sharp grounder to third on which Kevin Frandsen made a valiant, but ultimately futile effort. Casey McGehee sent an RBI single to center in the next at bat, bringing Yelich in for a 1-0 lead. Garrett Jones grounded into a 4-6-3 DP in the next AB to get Hill the first two outs of the frame. Reed Johnson's pop to Tyler Moore in foul territory off first ended a 19-pitch opening frame.

2nd: Justin Bour singled to left to start the second. Marlins' catcher J.T. Realmuto hit a ground-rule double to center that soared over Michael Taylor, who got a bad read. Adeiny Hechavarria stepped in with runners on second and third and no one out and hit a one-hop liner to second that Danny Espinosa handled, getting the out at first as Bour scored. 3-2. Andrew Heaney reached on a slow chopper to the left of the mound, beating Hill's throw to first. Christian Yelich came up with runners on the corners and one out and grounded into a 4-6-3 DP. 20-pitch frame by Hill, 39 total after two.

3rd: Donovan Solano popped up to Tyler Moore for the first out of the third. Casey McGehee took a low 89 mph sinker for a called strike three. Garrett Jones doubled to right-center with two down, just beating the throw in by Michael Taylor to second. Reed Johnson's two-out at bat with a runner in scoring position ended with a swinging K on a 1-2 curve in the dirt. 20-pitch frame for Hill, 59 total after three.

4th: Justin Bour sent a grounder to second for the first out of the fourth. J.T. Realmuto grounded back to the mound for out no.2. Adeiny Hechavarria lined a single to left with two down, but Andrew Heaney K'd swinging at an 0-2 curve to end a 14-pitch fourth that left Hill at 73 pitches.

5th: Christian Yelich went down swinging at a 1-2 curve. Kevin Frandsen showed off the glove with a diving stab of a sharp grounder off Donovan Solano's bat. Hill hit Casey McGehee in the next ABehee. Garrett Jones stepped in with a runner on and bounced an infield single off Hill's heel. Reed Johnson came up with two on and two out and dumped an RBI single into right, taking a 1-1 curve the other way. 4-3. Hill walked Justin Bour intentionally, loading the bases for J.T. Realmuto, who cleared the bases with a sharp grounder by third that went all the way into the corner. Three-run triple. 6-4 Marlins. That was it for Hill...

• Taylor Hill's Line: 4.2 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 4 Ks, 90 P, 55 S, 6/0 GO/FO.

3. Heaney's Turn: Andrew Heaney, 23, was the Miami Marlins' 2012 1st Round pick, taken 9th overall that year out Oklahoma State University.

In his third campaign in Marlins' system, the left-hander pitched at Double-A Jacksonville and Triple-A New Orleans this season.

The southpaw put up a 2.35 ERA and a 2.46 FIP with 13 walks (2.18 BB/9) and 52 Ks (8.72 K/9) in nine games, eight starts and 53 ⅔ IP at Double-A and went (5-4) with a 3.87 ERA, a 3.89 FIP, 23 walks (2.47 BB/9) and 91 Ks (9.79 K/9) in 15 starts and 83 ⅔ IP for Miami's Triple-A affiliate.

Heaney was called up to make his major league debut in June, but over four starts he was (0-3) with a 6.53 ERA, 6.18 FIP, six walks and 13 Ks in 20 ⅔ IP over which opposing hitters put up a combined .293/.364/.538 line.

He was sent down after a July 5th start with Marlins' manager Mike Redmond explaining to the Miami Herald's Clark Spencer, "'This guy was in [Single A] Jupiter last year. We want to make sure he’s confident and right.'"

Called back up to work out of the pen in mid-September, Heaney threw 4 ⅔ scoreless before Redmond made the decision to give him one last start this season, explaining to the Miami Herald's Ava Wallace that the left-hander earned it:

"He’s done a good job," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "I think it’s the right time in the last couple games of the season to get him in there, especially having a doubleheader. It worked that the last time that he pitched was the three innings. He’s available for that day. We’ll let him go out there and let him pitch and get a start."

Heaney threw three scoreless against the Nationals last week in Marlins Park.

Tonight in the nation's capital, he was starting against the NL East Division Champs in the second game of two between the divisional rivals in D.C.

Given a 1-0 lead to work with before he took the mound in Nationals Park, Heaney gave up a leadoff double to right-center by Michael Taylor in the first at bat of the Nats' first. Taylor scored on an RBI single to center by Kevin Frandsen and an RBI triple by Jayson Werth in the at bat that followed drove Frandsen in to give the Nationals a 2-1 lead. Wilson Ramos then hit a groundout to second to bring Werth in from third and make it 3-1 after one. 30-pitch frame from Heaney.

Taylor Hill connected for his first major league hit in the first at bat of the Nats' second, and two outs later Jayson Werth doubled to left to put runners on second and third, but a lineout to second base by Wilson Ramos ended a 15-pitch frame that left Heaney at 45 pitches after two.

Steven Souza hit a one-out blast into the Red Porch seats in the third, sending a 91 mph 3-2 fastball from Heaney out to left-center and deep into the stands. 4-2 Nationals. 61 pitches for Heaney after a 16-pitch third. The Fish lefty needed just 11 pitches to retire the Natonals in order in the fourth. 72 pitches overall.

• Andrew Heaney's Line: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 Ks, 1 HR, 72 P, 48 S, 5/1 GO/FO.

2. Matt Williams on clinching home field advantage for as far as the Nationals can go in the National League playoffs:

"Well, I think it's important to have home field advantage. If we want to get to where we want to get to then that's important. So that's accomplished. I also think it's really important for us to play well the next three games and continue to push and play with some enthusiasm and some determination, because that light switch doesn't just turn on and off, so I think that's important for us too, but having home field advantage is important for us. We've played well here and getting chance to play in front of our home fans is great."

1. The Wrap-Up: Ross Detwiler took over with a runner on and two out in the fifth and battled Adeiny Hechavarria for 12 pitches before giving up an RBI double to left that drove J.T. Realmuto in to make it 7-4 Marlins after four and a half.

Jayson Werth's leadoff single in the Nats' fifth left him a home run away from the cycle and he took third on a single to left by Wilson Ramos. Marlins' right-hander Brad Penny got a double play grounder out of Tyler Moore on which Werth scored, 7-5 Fish after five.

With some help from a defensive assist by Jayson Werth and a range-y catch by Michael Taylor, Ross Detwiler threw a scoreless sixth.

Brad Penny hit Jeff Kobernus with one out in the sixth and gave up a two-out single to center by Michael Taylor before he was lifted in favor of right-hander Carter Capps. Kevin Frandsen's second hit of the game was a line drive single to center that drove Kobernus in to make it 7-6. Jayson Werth took a HBP on the elbow to load the bases for Wilson Ramos, who grounded out to third.

Xavier Cedeno gave up back-to-back singles by Garrett Jones and Reed Johnson and Justin Bour drove them both in with a double to the right-center gap, 9-6. Aaron Barrett came on and struck J.T. Realmuto out before making an ill-advised throw toward first on an Adeiny Hechavarria grounder that brought Bour in from third, 10-6 Marlins.

Tyler Moore took a 95 mph 2-1 fastball from Marlins' right-hander Chris Hatcher to right field for an opposite field blast that got the Nationals back within three at 10-7.

Rafael Soriano pitched around an error for a scoreless inning of work in the top of the eighth in spite of an error by Steven Souza on a fly to left.

Marlins' right-hander A.J. Ramos threw a 12-pitch, 1-2-3 eighth.

Craig Stammen gave up back-to-back-to-back singles by Jordany Valdespin, Justin Bour and J.T. Realmuto to start the ninth with Realmuto driving in Miami's 11th run. Enrique Hernandez stepped in with the bases loaded and hit a grand slam to left to make it 15-7.

That's how it ended.

Nationals now 94-66

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