Florida Marlins defeat Washington Nationals 5-2 for series sweep – MLB Update
Florida Marlins crushed rivals Washington Nationals 5-2 at Nationals Park, Washington on Thursday, July 28.
Florida took the first game 11-2 and the second 7-5, producing some gritty hitting and burly pitches. Marlins did not take a good start but they led their game off in the top of the third inning, scored a single followed by another in the fourth and two
more runs in the sixth and took the lead to 5-2 in the eighth.
"We got under .500 pretty quick in June and it's been a hard road back, but we're flirting with it," said right-fielder Mike Stanton. "This is how it was when we were going good. It's just complete team contributions, and that's what you need to get sweeps
and on rolls like this."
Although Brad Hand did not provide the kind of start, the Marlins had in last two game and allowed six walks and one run on three hits in just over three innings. Hand was completely out of form, as he tossed 31 of the 72 pitches out of the zone.
Florida’s manager Jack McKeon got Hand off of the mound in the middle of the fourth inning. McKeon was furious of the way Hand allowed walks.
"I can't stand walks. If you want to stay in there, throw the ball over the plate.” McKeon said. "Walk this guy, walk that guy, get an out, walk another guy -- in trouble all the time."
However, Brian Sanches took the Marlins into a strong position with his one inning in crucial time when the Nationals were looking to remove a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning.
Mike Stanton launched a ballistic homer in the sixth to create a 3-1 lead while third baseman Emilio Bonifacio singled to take it to 4-1.
Burke Badenhop tossed scoreless sixth but allowed a single in the seventh to help the Nationals reduce the lead to 4-2. However, Edward Mujica, Randy Choate and closer Leo Nunez combined to take four batters in the span of next two innings.
After taking series sweep, the Marlins have improved their record to 52-53 with 29 wins away from home.
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