Washington Nationals drop 5-3 decision to Miami Marlins: Wil Crowe & Sixto Sánchez duel in debuts...

Wil Crowe and Sixto Sánchez went head-to-head in their MLB debuts tonight in the nation’s capital, where the Miami Marlins were the “home” team in the postponed matchup with the club’s NL East rivals from Washington, D.C.

Sánchez’s Marlins came out on top with sloppy play on the Nationals’ side costing them in what ended up a 5-3 loss.

Crowe debuts vs the Fish: Wil Crowe, 25, and a 2017 2nd Round pick by the Nationals out of the University of South Carolina, was added to the roster as the 29th man for tonight’s “road” game in the nation’s capital against the Miami Marlins.

In 2019, the right-hander finished his third professional season with a 3.87 ERA, 3.15 FIP, 2.08 BB/9, and 8.40 K/9 in 16 starts and 95 1⁄3 IP at Double-A Harrisburg, but struggled after being promoted to Triple-A Fresno, putting up a 6.17 ERA, 5.64 FIP, 4.33 BB/9, and 6.83 K/9 in 54 IP for the Nationals’ top minor league affiliate.

Crowe gave up a single and had a runner reach on a pop to right that fell in for a hit, but he stranded both runners when he got Brian Anderson swinging with a big 0-2 curve to end a 20-pitch frame in the first in his MLB debut.

After working around a leadoff walk in a 13-pitch second, Crowe gave up a leadoff single in the third, but one out later a caught stealing gave him two outs, and he had the third on a pop up in foul territory off third, but Trea Turner, who hustled over from short in the shift wasn’t able to make the catch, and after Crowe walked that batter, Matt Joyce, Corey Dickerson stepped in and hit a two-run blast to right that put the Marlins on top, 2-1.

Crowe returned to the mound in the fourth, and gave up one and two-out singles before he was lifted...

Wil Crowe’s Line: 3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 Ks, 1 HR, 64 P, 34 S, 1/4 GO/FO.

Sánchez debuts vs Nationals: Signed out of the Dominican Republic by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2015 and acquired by the Miami Marlins in the February 2019 trade that sent J.T. Realmuto to the Phils, 22-year-old righty Sixto Sánchez was called up by the Fish to make his major league debut tonight in D.C.

Sánchez, in a 2019 campaign spent mostly at Double-A in the Marlins’ system (with two starts at High-A), put up a 2.53 ERA, a 2.69 FIP, 19 walks (1.66 BB/9), and 97 Ks (8.48 K/9) over 18 starts and 103 IP.

He was ranked 24th overall on MLB Pipeline’s list of the top 100 prospects in baseball to start the 2020 campaign.

Sánchez came out throwing heat, hitting triple digits five times in a 12-pitch inning in which he worked around a two-out single by Juan Soto, and he retired the side in order in a quick, eight-pitch, 1-2-3 second.

Yan Gomes turned a 99 MPH 0-1 fastball around in the first at bat of the third, however, and hit a solo home run to left-center field in Nationals Park to give the “away” team a 1-0 lead.

It was 2-1 in Miami’s favor when Sánchez returned to the mound in the fourth and worked around a one-out single for a scoreless, 17-pitch frame that left him at 47 pitches overall.

Victor Robles took a 94 MPH 3-1 two-seamer to left field for a line drive, two-run home run in the top of the fifth, making it a one-run game with one swing, 4-3. Robles’s 2nd of 2020.

That was it for Sánchez’s MLB debut...

Sixto Sánchez’s Line: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 Ks, 2 HRs, 66 P, 46 S, 7/2 GO/FO.

Gomes Streaking: Yan Gomes hit his 100th career home run the first time up last night, and with that blast, the 33-year-old catcher extended a hit streak to six-straight games, in which the veteran was 9 for 25 (.360/.385/.600) with a double, triple, and a home run.

Davey Martinez joked after last night’s game that he was happy for his catcher and waiting for No. 101.

“Congratulations to him,” Martinez said. “He works really hard. I hope tomorrow, in Game 2, he hits his 101st.”

Gomes did just that, on a 99 MPH 0-1 fastball from Sixto Sánchez in the Marlins’ starter’s MLB debut. Seven-game hit streak.

BULLPEN ACTION: Seth Romero took over for Wil Crowe with two on and two out in the bottom of the fourth and got a grounder back to the mound, but it was a weak one and Jonathan Villar beat the throw to first. Mangeuris Sierra stepped in next and got to a full count before striking out on a ball in the dirt that got by Yan Gomes and allowed the third run of the game for the Marlins to score, 3-1.

Lewis Brinson sent a weak roller to short in the next at bat, and it was just weak enough that Trea Turner, who had trouble with the exchange, couldn’t even make a throw, 4-1.

Dakota Bacus came on for the Nationals in the top of the fifth, with the score 4-3, and gave up a single and a walk to put two on with no one out.

A one-out walk to Jorge Alfaro loaded the bases, and set Jon Berti up with an opportunity to add to the Marlins’ lead, which he cashed in with a sac fly to left-center, 5-3.

Wander Suero got the final out of the Marlins’ fifth to keep it a two-run game.

Richard Bleier came on for Miami in the top of the sixth, and gave up a two-out double by Josh Harrison and a walk to Carter Kieboom before he got a fly to left from Yan Gomes for out No. 3.

Suero tossed a quick, 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth to get the Nationals up with a shot to erase the two-run deficit.

Brandon Kintzler gave up a two-out single by Adam Eaton in the top of the seventh, giving Juan Soto an opportunity to tie it. Soto walked to put two on in front of Asdrúbal Cabrera, who grounded out to first to end the game.

Final Score: 5-3 Marlins

Nationals now 10-14