Michael A. Taylor’s hustle double and walks by Andrew Stevenson and Wilmer Difo in back-to-back plate appearances against Miami Marlins’ right-hander Nick Wittgren set the visiting Washington Nationals up with a bases-loaded, no-out opportunity in the seventh inning of a 4-4 game last night in the series opener in Marlins Park.
Trea Turner followed with an infield single that drove in the go-ahead run, and Bryce Harper, facing lefty Adam Conley, went with a 95 mph 2-2 fastball outside and lined it to left, driving in two runs with what was the eventual game-winning hit.
“Just trying to get another pitch over the plate,” Harper told reporters after what ended up being a 9-5 win, “got that and hit that double, scored us a couple runs, and happy we won the ballgame.”
Nats’ skipper Davey Martinez was a little more excited about what his 25-year-old charge accomplished with the opposite field liner.
“Awesome,” Martinez said.
“We talk about it all the time with him, just get the ball in the strike zone and use the whole field, I mean, they’re going to give you that, and he went out there and had a great at bat.”
Harper went 2 for 5 overall on the night, for his third two-hit game in the last four, and he finished the night with a .237/.387/.538 line, six doubles, an NL-leading 15 home runs and National League-best 43 walks to 39 Ks after 49 games and 217 plate appearances.
“He’s one of the best players in baseball and I love the kid,” Martinez told reporters, when he was asked about managing Harper on a daily basis.
“He works hard and all he wants to do is help his team win. And he goes out there every day and prepares himself and that’s what he does.”
Harper and the Nats will try to do it again today in the second of three against the Marlins in Miami.
HERE’S THE NATIONALS’ LINEUP AGAINST THE MARLINS IN MIAMI:
#Nats at #Marlins 2 of 3 at 4:10 PM: Turner SS, Harper RF, Rendon 3B, Reynolds 1B, Soto LF, Taylor CF, Severino C, Roark RHP, Difo 2B
— federalbaseball (@federalbaseball) May 26, 2018