Washington Nationals lose seventh straight, 2-1 Miami Marlins in D.C.

Fedde vs the Fish:

With the way rosters change these days, and ever-changing lineups, you can’t put too much stock in a pitcher’s career numbers against an organization, but still, Erick Fedde started the night against the Miami Marlins in Nationals Park (4-0) in seven career starts against the Fish in six seasons in the majors.

“His 1.43 ERA (6 ER/37.2 IP) is the lowest against any team in his career (min. 2 GS),” Fedde’s club highlighted in their pregame notes for tonight’s game.

And, Fedde, “faced the Marlins four times in 2021 posting a 1.61 ERA (4 ER/22.1 IP), pitching at least 5.0 innings in each start... Had a career-high 10 strikeouts in 6.1 innings on Aug. 24, 2021 at Miami,” the Nats wrote.

The 2014 first round pick was, however, coming off a 3 ¹⁄₃-inning outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks, in which he gave up eight hits, one walk, and seven runs, six earned.

Fedde gave up a leadoff single by Jazz Chisholm and then one- and two-out walks to Jesús Aguilar and Jesús Sánchez, but Chisholm got thrown out trying to steal second before the walks, sliding by the bag, and Aguilar and Sánchez were stranded at the end of a 22-pitch frame for the Nats’ starter.

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Fedde retired six straight after the second walk in the first, but he left a 3-1 sinker up in the zone for Aguilar in the Marlins’ slugger’s second plate appearance, and Aguilar crushed it, lining a two-out solo shot to left in the third to put the visiting team up 1-0 in the second of three for Miami in D.C.

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By the time he retired the side in order in the fifth, Fedde had set 13 of 14 down going back to the top of the first, with the one he didn’t retire responsible for the only run he allowed.

Jacob Stallings singled with two down in the Marlins’ fifth, for just the second hit after the first inning, and Juan Soto made an ill-advised throw to first base on the play, looking for a cheeky out, but his wide throw got by Josh Bell at first, and the ball rolled into the camera well, gifting Stallings a base, before a walk to Jazz Chisholm, Jr. ended Fedde’s outing...

Erick Fedde’s Line: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 Ks, 91 P, 55 S, 5/1 GO/FO.

Marlins’ Starters:

Sandy Alcantara limited the Nationals to a run on six hits and three walks over six strong in the series opener on Tuesday, and tonight it was another Miami right-hander, Pablo López, on the mound for the Marlins in the nation’s capital.

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López, 26, came into the outing with a 0.52 ERA, a 1.63 FIP, three walks, 17 Ks, and a stingy .164/.203/.213 line against in three starts and 17 ¹⁄₃ IP on the season, and he looked like the sort of pitcher who puts up those numbers through five scoreless (which lowered his ERA down to 0.40, with a 1.55 FIP).

A 13-pitch, 1-2-3 sixth, left López with a 0.39 ERA on the year, and 84 pitches on the night, with a 2-0 lead, and that was it for the right-hander tonight...

Pablo López’s Line: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 Ks, 84 P, 55 S, 7/1 GO/FO.

Bullpen Action:

Andres Machado inherited a two-on, two-out situation in the fifth, and walked Jesús Aguilar to load the bases in front of Jorge Soler, who took the third consecutive free pass from the Nationals’ pitchers, which forced the second run of the game across the plate, 2-0 Marlins.

Steve Cishek came on for the top of the sixth, and worked around a 1-out HBP and an error on a pick attempt at first base.

Erasmo Ramirez was the third pitcher out of the pen for the Nationals, and got an inning-ending 5-4-3 DP after giving up a 1-0 out single to Jazz Chisholm, Jr. Still 2-0 Fish.

Marlins’ lefty Steven Okert took over for the visiting team in the bottom of the seventh, got two outs, but was replaced on the mound after a two-out walk to Keibert Ruiz. Up next was Anthony Bass, and the righty struck Lane Thomas up to keep it a 2-0 game through seven.

Tanner Rainey got some work in the top of the eighth, retiring the Marlins in order in a 21-pitch frame.

Cesár Hernández reached base on a two-out error by Jesús Aguilar in the bottom of the eighth. Tanner Scott replaced Bass on the hill, with Juan Soto at the plate, and the lefty popped Soto up over the infield, but the Marlins’ couldn’t make the catch, with the ball dropping in just out of Jazz Chisholm, Jr.’s reach on a windy night in D.C. E:4.

Josh Bell stepped in next, as the potential go-ahead run, and got up 3-0, and walked to load the bases in front of Nelson Cruz, who came up 0 for 3 with a K, got up 3-1, and walked on a full count slider in the dirt from Scott, 2-1.

Anthony Bender came on against Yadiel Hernández, with the bases still loaded, and sent a fly ball to left-center, where the wind knocked it down.

Kyle Finnegan retired the Nationals in order in the top of the ninth.

Bender got more work in the bottom of the ninth, and gave a two-out double to left field by Maikel Franco, that bounced off the wall. Lucius Fox stepped in trying to keep hope alive as he looked for his first MLB hit, but he fell behind 0-2 quickly, and sent a fly to left for out No. 3. Marlins win.

Nationals now 6-14