The Miami Marlins took care of business at loanDepot park on Saturday, August 22, defeating the Washington Nationals 4-2 in nine innings. Eury Pérez held Washington to one earned run over five innings to earn the win, while Jakob Marsee and Heriberto Hernández each went deep to supply the offensive firepower. Calvin Faucher closed it out with a clean ninth for the save. The victory came in a division matchup against a Nationals squad that managed two runs but could not keep pace with Miami's power. It is the kind of win that matters in the standings: grinding out a division game at home with your starter going five and your bullpen holding the line.

Eury Pérez Delivers Five Solid Innings for the Win

Pérez was the story on the mound. The right-hander worked five innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out four. He did issue three walks, which kept some traffic on the bases, but he navigated the damage well enough to hand Miami's bullpen a 4-1 lead heading into the sixth. The outing was efficient where it mattered most: keeping Washington's lineup from doing anything serious.

The bullpen picked up from there without drama. Michael Petersen threw a perfect sixth inning, striking out one. Josh Ekness followed with 1.1 scoreless frames, also adding a strikeout. Tyler Zuber handled 0.2 innings without incident before Faucher came on to close. Washington managed a run somewhere in the back half — the Nationals finished with two total — but Miami's relievers held firm when it counted. Washington's two runs are a fact, and credit the Nationals for not rolling over, but the Marlins bullpen gave up zero earned runs across the final four innings — that is the kind of collective effort that turns one-run leads into comfortable wins. Faucher's clean ninth sealed the 4-2 final.

Marsee and Hernández Provide the Power Against Jake Irvin

Washington starter Jake Irvin gave the Nationals six innings but surrendered all four Miami runs on six hits and two walks. The two swings that defined the night came off the bats of Marsee and Hernández.

  • Jakob Marsee went 2-for-4 with a home run and one RBI, giving him a multi-hit night to go with the long ball.
  • Heriberto Hernández went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and one RBI, providing Miami with an additional power punch.

Those two home runs accounted for two of Miami's four runs. Irvin struck out four and posted a six-inning workload, but surrendering six hits and four earned runs in a 4-2 loss is simply not good enough against a Marlins lineup willing to make him pay for mistakes in the zone. He was charged with the loss.

Turning Point: The Home Run Combination Off Irvin

The pair of home runs against Irvin was the moment that put the Marlins in control. Washington never generated enough offense to seriously threaten, finishing with two runs against a pitching staff that combined for six strikeouts and allowed just three hits through the first five innings from Pérez alone. Once Miami built a multi-run advantage, the bullpen made it hold.

What's Next for the Marlins

Miami remains at loanDepot park, continuing this series against Washington. The Marlins showed Saturday that their starting pitching and power hitting can combine effectively in a division game. The next matchup will reveal whether this group can stack wins in the series.