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The Nationals rally against the Marlins for their third straight win

MIAMI — The Washington Nationals trailed going into the ninth inning on Saturday but ended up with a perfect game. Miami Marlins center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. fell but was unable to draw on leadoff lead Len Thomas, and the ball bounced off his glove and rolled along the caution track toward right field, allowing Thomas to reach third base with ease. The draw course was 90 feet long, and citizens had three chances to enter it.

Somehow, Thomas didn’t score. However, citizens are still improbably prevalent, as they are recorded 3-2 Their 11th win in their last 14 matches.

“It was a hell of a game,” said Jake Alou, who scored the equaliser.

After Thomas’ triple, Joey Meneses was hit 3-1 by Marlins closer David Robertson; Jacob Young, in his major league debut, ran for him. But then Marlins second baseman Luis Arrays hit a ground ball by Dominic Smith and had just enough time to throw Thomas home. The national team player remained on his stomach with his hands in the dirt next to the plate in shock.

“Arrays put in great play,” said national team manager Dave Martinez. “…he made an incredible shot, right on goal.”

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But that was just one. After Carter Kibum emerged, Alou made the full count before kicking one down the middle to score Young.

“I was just looking for a good pitch to hit,” Alou said. “I was seeing the ball down there really well today. … I finally got to the 3-2 count. He’s got to put a shot in there. I’ve done it.”

And then the Miami brawl gave rookie Washington help: Marlins catcher Jacob Stallings’ pass during the next strike allowed Michael Chavis, who ran for Smith, to run home from third base to score the go-ahead.

The Nationals (61-69) have won five straight series. The Marlins (65-65) have lost eight of their past 10 games.

Over the first seven innings on Saturday, neither team rallied much. The bats rolled on the globes. They served off-speed throws and broke pitches high in the air and too far forward. They swung across the pitches in the wheelhouse.

The match result was 1-1. In the eighth, Jordan Weems, the Nationals’ right-hander, entered with one out to face Jorge Soler. With his first throw, Weems threw a fastball over the center of the board, which Soler missed. The ball sailed left to give Miami a 2-1 lead, and the Marlins appeared to have slipped away with a win in a game highlighted by young pitchers.

Yuri Perez, the Marlins’ 20-year-old rookie, threw six innings of one-run ball and struck out seven (runs weren’t earned). He retired the first 11 batters he faced until Meneses doubled in the fourth. On the ensuing punt, Smith hit a ground ball up the middle that was thrown into the Nationals dugout by Joey Wendell, allowing Washington to take a 1-0 lead.

And that’s all Washington succeeded in facing Perez, who got 14 blows out of 45 pitches.

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Jake Irvin, the Nationals’ 26-year-old rookie right fielder, seemed to get stronger as the season progressed, and he was just as strong through six innings. He walked three and allowed four hits but avoided any damage until former Patriots Josh Bell hit an opposing home run that just sneaked in to tie the score in the sixth.

“I thought it was great,” Martinez said. “I was really impressed with the way those little kids played. Perez is going to be a good player. He really is, but he’s going to be really good and will deal with him here in the future. But I’m proud of our guys. I’m proud that Jake stayed there, finished strong and gave us a chance to win.

Irvin said he focused on hitting early and attacking the area.

He added, “The defense played great, and the way we play the ball now, man, I have to keep us in the game, and these guys will do what they want.”

The Bulls held their own until Soler’s homer broke the tie and Washington rallied. The ninth inning certainly wasn’t quite what the Nationals wrote it to be, but they once again defied convention to prevail during an impressive second inning.

“I think it shows this team plays 27 games,” Alou said. “Lately, we’re just a fickle team. And we get it done.”

Notes: Prior to the game, the national team called up Young, a 24-year-old outfielder who was selected in the seventh round in 2021, from Class AAA Rochester and selected player Jeter Downs to the Red Wings.

Young has only been with Rochester in four games since being promoted from Class AA Harrisburg. For the season across three minor league levels, he hit . 305 with six home runs and 39 stolen bases.

To make room for Young on the 40-man roster, the Nationals placed outfielder Stone Garrett on the 60-day injured list. Garrett went to IL 10 on Thursday after fracturing his fibula on Wednesday in a loss against the New York Yankees. Martinez said Jarrett’s surgery was a success and he will be re-evaluated in six weeks.


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