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Matt Mervis slugged a three-run, pinch-hit home run as the host Miami Marlins defeated the Washington Nationals 11-4 on Sunday afternoon.

Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore (1-2) entered the game leading the National League with 13.2 strikeouts per nine innings, and he had beaten the Dodgers and dominated the Phillies in earlier starts.

Against the Marlins, he struck out seven but allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings, driving his ERA up from 2.65 to 3.52.

The Marlins outhit the Nationals 14-10. Miami took two out of three games in the series.

Marlins starter Cal Quantrill allowed three runs on seven hits and five walks in five innings before Ronny Henriquez (1-0) pitched a perfect sixth to get the win.

Their teammates Kyle Stowers, Eric Wagaman and Xavier Edwards continued to produce at the plate.

Stowers went 3-for-5 with three runs and a two-RBI double in the Marlins’ four-run eighth. Wagaman went 3-for-3 with two runs. Edwards extended his hit streak to seven games, and he is hitting 10-for-26 during that span (.385).

Washington threatened in the first, loading the bases with one out, but Josh Bell hit a swinging bunt in front of the plate. Veteran catcher Rob Brantly, making his 2025 MLB debut, grabbed the ball, took two steps back to get the force at home and then fired to first to complete the double play.

The Nationals took a 1-0 lead in the second on Jacob Young’s RBI single that got past a drawn-in infield.

Miami tied the score in the bottom of the second. Wagaman walked, advanced on Derek Hill’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Griffin Conine’s single.

Washington surged ahead 3-1 in the fourth. With two outs and none on, Amed Rosario started the rally with a walk. Rosario advanced on a wild pitch by Quantrill and scored on Paul DeJong’s single. DeJong then stole second and scored on Alex Call’s single.

Miami again wasted no time tying the score as Jonah Bride and Javier Sanoja stroked RBI singles in the bottom of the fourth.

The Marlins took a 4-3 lead in the sixth as Conine walked, advanced to third on Sanoja’s single and scored on Liam Hicks’ sacrifice fly.

Mervis’ 411-foot homer in the seventh gave Miami a 7-3 lead.

–Field Level Media