Nats clean up play to beat Marlins 6-2 (updated)

MIAMI – The Nationals needed Monday’s off-day in Miami to get past an ugly weekend back at home.

While still a young team – Sunday’s starting lineup averaged 24.4 years old, younger than each of the lineups posted by Triple-A Rochester and Double-A Harrisburg that day – the Nats were uncharacteristically sloppy in the field on Saturday and Sunday. They were outscored 19-4 and charged with five errors over the last two games against the Cubs.

“We could have used the day off, for sure,” manager Davey Martinez said before tonight’s opener of a two-game set against the Marlins. “But when I went back and I looked at the game yesterday, to me, those were just really mental mistakes. Nothing physical about it. Just, it's September.”

It is September and there is less than a month left in the season. But what the Nationals displayed on the field over the weekend is not who they are and not what they want their young team to become.

Well, after yesterday’s off-day, the Nats cleaned up their act and played good baseball en route to a 6-2 win over the Marlins in front of an announced crowd of 6,854 at loanDepot park. Maybe a day off in the South Florida sun is all they needed.

The offense took advantage, the pitching was solid and the defense was smooth in the Nats’ victory, which improved them to a perfect 8-0 against the Fish this season.

“It was really good," Martinez said after the game in a happier tone than he had in Sunday's postgame session. "The bottom of the order was really good. ... We played well. Turned a big double play. But Patrick Corbin was really good again. So that was awesome to see. And then the bullpen came in and shut it down. We played good baseball.”

Facing rookie right-hander Max Meyer, who entered tonight’s start with a 5.44 ERA and 1.383 WHIP this season, the Nats were able to score early and expand their lead. Keibert Ruiz and Jacob Young started the third inning with back-to-back hits to go up 1-0.

Andrés Chaparro and James Wood led off the fourth with a double and a walk, respectively, to set up Joey Gallo’s three-run home run to make it 4-0. The veteran slugger, who missed 76 games between two stints on the injured list, hit a first-pitch fastball 415 feet to center field for his first major league home run since June 3, only his sixth longball of the season.

“That was awesome. That's the Joey Gallo I've seen for years," Martinez said. "I hope that he has a really good month, not just for us, but for him. Because he had some injuries, he worked really hard to get back. When he starts hitting the ball like that, they usually come in bunches. So it was good to see.”

Two innings later, Ruiz would hit his 13th homer of the year, a two-out solo shot to start his night 3-for-3 and a triple shy of the cycle. He would finish 3-for-4 with a double, a homer, two runs scored and an RBI.

“I was feeling good," Ruiz said. "Swinging at my pitches and not trying to do too much. That's got to be the next part for me. Keep applying, keep being consistent. Don't try to do too much and just play the game.”

That was plenty of run support for Corbin, who was looking to extend the strong streak he started with his 100th career win two starts ago.

Corbin again kept hitters off balance by staying low in the zone and mixing up his sinker, slider and a cutter that clocked in almost 3 mph faster than usual. Although he gave up seven hits and issued three walks, he limited the Marlins to just two runs while striking out eight over his 5 ⅔ innings.

“I've been feeling really comfortable with it. Mixing it to both lefties and righties," Corbin said of his cutter. "Changing speeds with the slider, like I said. But just staying out of the middle of the plate and being able to get those strikeouts when needed. So just try to continue to do what's been working and go from there.”

“His slider has been a lot better, but keeping the ball down," Martinez said. "I attribute everything to him about keeping everything down. The minute he throws a ball up, he gets hit hard. So he did a great job of really trying to keep everything down.”

The veteran left-hander has now allowed two runs or fewer in three straight starts. Over that stretch, he’s allowed a total of five runs in 22 innings for a 2.05 ERA.

“I think staying out of the middle of the plate, mixing in the cutter well, changing speeds with the slider," Corbin said. "I'm working well with Keibert there. Offense has put up a lot of runs, and defensively has been good too. So the team has been playing well behind me, and tonight we got that lead early, which was good.”

Unlike so many times before during these last five rough seasons, the Nationals defense did play cleanly behind him. The Nats didn’t give the Marlins any extra outs and turned two double plays while playing fundamental baseball all night.

They added another unearned run in the ninth by taking advantage of the Marlins’ own defensive miscues.

The bullpen then backed up Corbin and the rest of the team with 3 ⅓ scoreless innings by Jose A. Ferrer, Derek Law (making his first appearance off the injured list) and Robert Garcia.

Maybe the Nats need more off-days in Miami. Or maybe they just need to play the lowly Marlins more.

Whatever it is, they definitely need to play clean baseball to finish the season. This was a good step in that direction.

“Baseball is tough," Ruiz said. "We had a really tough series against Chicago and really tough games. But we got to keep the head up and make the adjustment that we need to make and just keep playing baseball. We have a really good group, a really young group, and a lot of talent here.”