WASHINGTON — In a thrilling game marked by a rain delay exceeding two hours, rookie Agustín Ramírez launched two spectacular home runs while Eric Wagaman drove in three runs, supporting the Miami Marlins as they delivered an 11-9 defeat to the Washington Nationals on Friday night. This loss marked the sixth consecutive defeat for Washington.
Ramírez wasted no time getting the Marlins on the board, hitting a solo home run off Nationals starter Mitchell Parker in the first inning, setting the stage for a 1-0 lead. Later, in the third inning, he sent his 10th homer of the season soaring to maintain Miami’s momentum as they surged ahead with a commanding 6-0 lead. This marks Ramírez’s second multihomer game of the season, following his previous performance against Seattle in April. Meanwhile, Wagaman contributed with an RBI double, and Dane Myers further extended the lead with a two-run double.
Washington responded when CJ Abrams reached base with an infield hit, and James Wood connected for his 17th home run, narrowing the gap to 6-2 after the third inning. The game was halted for over two hours due to rain, but when play resumed, Miami didn’t miss a beat. RBI singles from Fortes and Xavier Edwards in the fifth pushed Miami’s advantage to 8-2.
Facing an uphill battle, the Nationals made a spirited comeback in the seventh inning. Wood hit a two-run double, with Nathaniel Lowe, Alex Call, and Keibert Ruiz all contributing RBI singles, bringing Washington tantalizingly close at 8-7. Nevertheless, Miami answered back with Wagaman’s pivotal two-run single and Connor Norby’s RBI groundout in the eighth, holding off the Nationals’ rally.
Miami starter Edwin Cabrera set the tone by allowing only two runs in his three-inning outing. Tyler Phillips secured the win by getting two critical outs. In contrast, Parker struggled on the mound for Washington, giving up six runs on eight hits in just over three innings. Jackson Rutledge, who pitched after Parker, allowed two additional runs after the delay, and Jose A. Ferrer was on the receiving end of another three runs in a single inning.
This victory marked Miami’s third win out of four meetings with Washington this season. Calvin Faucher played a crucial role late in the game, recording his sixth save in nine opportunities by handling the final batters skillfully.
Despite their victorious performance, Miami still faces challenges with their minus-91 run differential, second only to Washington’s minus-60 in the National League. The Marlins have yet to announce their starting pitcher for Saturday’s game, which will be opposite Washington’s Trevor Williams.