Washington Nationals take 3 of 4 from Miami Marlins, with 3-2 win on Brian Goodwin blast in 8th...

Miami Marlins’ right-hander Dan Straily retired 15 of the first 16 Washington Nationals he faced in the series finale in the nation’s capital, with Giancarlo Stanton’s 39th home run of the 2017 campaign giving the Fish a 2-0 lead early, but the Nats tied it up with a two-run sixth inning.

Adrian Sanchez doubled to start the Nationals’ half of the sixth inning, and scored on an RBI single by Brian Goodwin, who came around to make it 2-2 on an RBI double by Bryce Harper.

It stayed tied until the bottom of the eighth inning when Goodwin hit his 13th home run of the 2017 campaign to right field off Junichi Tazawa to make it 3-2.

That’s how it ended.

Tanner Roark gave up two runs on four hits in six innings, making one big mistake on the fastball to Stanton, and working around five walks (two intentional) in his time on the mound. Brandon Kintzler and Ryan Madson followed with scoreless frames in the seventh and eight, respectively, and in the ninth, Sean Doolittle locked it down... with some help from a diving Andrew Stevenson in left.

Nationals now 68-45

HERE’S HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Tanner Roark worked around three baserunners in scoreless frames in the first two innings, but the fourth batter to reach base (Dee Gordon) scored in the next at bat on a two-run home run by Giancarlo Stanton, who hit a 1-1 fastball out to left on a line to put the Marlins up 2-0 in the third. Stanton’s 39th of 2017, and his 19th in 51 career games in Nationals Park.

• Matt Wieters connected for the Nationals’ first hit off Marlins’ righty Dan Straily to lead off the third, but he was stranded three outs later, and Straily retired the side in order in the fourth, setting down 12 of 13 to start the game.

• Tanner Roark walked Christian Yelich three times in the outfielder’s first three plate appearances, including a two-out PA in the fifth. Yelich took third on a liner to left by Marcell Ozuna in the at bat that followed, and Roark issued his fifth walk (his second intentional) to Derek Dietrich to load the bases, before Tyler Moore hit into a force at second to end a 27-pitch frame. Still 2-0 Fish.

• Adrian Sanchez doubled for the third time this season, connecting for just the second hit of the night off Straily in the first at bat of the Nats’ sixth, by sending a grounder by third base. Roark bunted Sanchez over to third, (aka: gave away an out), and Brian Goodwin followed with an RBI single to cut the Marlins’ lead in half, 2-1 Fish. One out later, with Goodwin on second after a stolen base, Bryce Harper doubled to right and off the out-of-town scoreboard to drive Goodwin in and tie it up at 2-2.

• Jarlin Garcia took over after a two-out walk to Ryan Zimmerman ended Straily’s night, and the Marlins’ lefty got a groundout from Daniel Murphy to keep it tied.

• Dan Straily’s Line: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 Ks, 89 P, 54 S, 8/4 GO/FO.

• Tanner Roark’s Line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 4 Ks, 1 HR, 107 P, 68 S, 8/3 GO/FO.

• Brandon Kintzler worked around a leadoff single in a 15-pitch seventh, and after the Nationals stranded a runner in the bottom of the inning, Ryan Madson threw a quick, 15-pitch frame of his own to keep it tied.

• Brian Goodwin stepped in to lead off the Nationals’ half of the eighth against Junichi Tazawa, and took a 1-0 fastball for a ride to right for his 13th home run of the season and a 3-2 lead. Goody Got It!!

• Sean Doolittle worked around a one-out double for a scoreless ninth, stranding the potential tying run at third... with help from an outstanding catch in left on a Dee Gordon liner to Andrew Stevenson. Ballgame.

Final Score: 3-2 Nationals.

NATIONALS PREGAME NOTES:

• Miami holds a 122-109 advantage in the all-time series with Washington after the Nationals’ win last night, but the Nats are 53-35 against the Marlins since 2013.
• Washington and Miami split the 12 games they’ve played so far this season before tonight.
• Ryan Zimmerman last night became the second player in the majors this season to go 4 for 4 with an RBI in each at bat, joining the Reds’ Scooter Gennett (5 for 5, 4 HRs).
• With last night’s 10-1 win, the Nationals have now scored at least 10 runs in 19 games this season, the most 10+ run games in the majors.
• Brian Goodwin’s 21 home runs on the season are the second-most among NL rookies, and tied for third among rookies in the majors.
• Washington’s offense started the night leading the NL in AVG (.275), SLG (.472), home runs (168), runs scored (614), hits (1,674), and extra-base hits (415).
• Washington’s starting staff started the game leading the majors in Ks (712), and K/9 (9.43), and ranked second in opponents’ batting average (.231), opponents’ on-base percentage (.300), opponents’ slugging percentage (.388), H/9 (7.75), and WHIP (1.20).

Nationals now 68-45