Washington Nationals’ lineup for 3rd of 4 with Miami Marlins + Davey Martinez talks Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, and Juan Soto

After scoring three in the first in the series finale in Milwaukee, the Washington Nationals put up three more in the fifth and added a run in the sixth in what ended up a 7-3 win.

In Thursday’s series opener in Miami, FL, the Nats fell behind 3-0 early, but rallied to score two runs in the fourth, one in the sixth, three in the seventh, and four more in the ninth as they went on to a 10-3 win.

Last night, Davey Martinez’s Nationals scored runs in each of the first three innings and five in the ninth in a 9-1 win over the Marlins.

“For us it’s about, when you score you want to just put teams away,” Martinez told reporters after the third straight win. “And we’ve been able to do that the last few games, so it’s good to see. Like I said, these guys are starting to swing the bats a lot better, we’re prolonging innings, guys are having better at bats, we’re staying in the middle of the field, so it’s been really good.”

Bryce Harper had a two-hit night in Friday’s win, with two opposite field singles, and the 25-year-old is now 10 for 37 (.270/.317/.541) with a double and three home runs over his last ten games (over which he’s walked three times while striking out in 18 at bats).

“He’s really trying to stay on the ball and he looked great today,” Martinez said. “We can get him to do that he’s going to take off here in a minute.”

Daniel Murphy went 3 for 4 with a double and a walk last night in Miami, and the 33-year-old second baseman, who missed the first 65 games recovering from offseason knee surgery, is 21 for 62 in July (.339/.394/.500) with four doubles, two home runs, seven walks, and five Ks in the last 20 games.

“His balls are starting to carry a little bit better,” Martinez said when asked if Murphy looked more like himself at the plate.

“He’s hitting doubles. What I know about Murph is that his power is going to come, but he’s a doubles guy, and he’s starting to do that.”

Meanwhile, Juan Soto, the Nationals’ 19-year-old phenom is continuing to swing a hot bat, with home runs in each of the last three games and five homers in the month of July, over 22 games in which he’s 25 for 83 (.301/.408/.554) with four doubles, a triple, 15 walks, and 17 Ks.

“He’s just working good at bats and squaring balls up,” Martinez beamed. “The thing about him, like I said, you talk to him every day and try to keep him grounded, and try to tell him, ‘Hey, make sure you stay in the middle of the field and make sure you take your walks,’ and he’s been really good.”

Soto’s home run last night was his 13th of the season, tying New York Yankees’ Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle for 6th on the list of the players with the most homers as a teenager in all of MLB history.

One more home run and he’s tied for fifth on the list with the Chicago Cubs’ Phil Cavarretta, who hit 14 as a teenager between 1934-36.

Harper, Murphy, and Soto are all back in there for the third of four with the Marlins in Miami.

HERE’S THE NATIONALS’ LINEUP FOR TONIGHT’S GAME WITH THE FISH: