Nats have no answer for latest blown lead, fall in Miami (updated)

MIAMI - Everybody in the Nationals bullpen has had his opportunity over the course of the season to prove he deserves the ball in critical moments. If anything, most of these guys have had so many opportunities they're now running on fumes as the final week of the regular season arrives.

Until someone - or, more preferably, multiple someones - proves he can actually get the job done in crunch time, this team is simply going to have to find some other way to win the games necessary to reach the postseason. And, if they're lucky, beyond.

The traditional formula - take an early lead, get a solid effort from the starting pitcher, get shutdown work from multiple relievers - just has not worked for the 2019 Nationals. They have still put themselves on the brink of a spot in next Tuesday's wild card game in spite of it all, but they have not crossed the threshold yet.

And because of yet another late-inning bullpen meltdown this afternoon, they now face a stiffer challenge to get there.

Up two runs in the bottom of the seventh to a Marlins team they had beaten in each of their last 11 meetings, the Nationals saw the triumvirate of Hunter Strickland, Wander Suero and Tanner Rainey combined to give up four runs and ultimately send their team to a 5-3 loss that very well could come back to haunt Washington before it's all said and done.

The loss, only the fourth in 19 head-to-head games with Miami this season, leaves the Nationals (85-69) in a virtual tie with the Brewers (86-70) for the No. 1 wild card position and home field advantage in the winner-take-all game. By virtue of its 4-2 head-to-head record this season, Milwaukee (which has won 15 of its last 17) would get to host if the two clubs end the regular season tied.

The Nationals did see their magic number to clinch a spot in the wild card game drop to four after the Cubs blew yet another ninth-inning lead to the Cardinals, losing their sixth consecutive game. Even if Chicago runs the table the rest of the way, the Nats need only go 4-4 in their final homestand to guarantee a spot in the Oct. 1 winner-take-all game.

"There's no turning back now," Strickland said. "This is it, and this is critical. Every game's critical. This one was. It's a tough loss, for sure. As a reliever mindset in general, you have to forget and figure out what to get better on. Have to move forward and get ready for tomorrow. There's no more off-days. We've got to be ready to go."

The Nationals seemingly were in control of this game, riding five effective innings from Austin Voth to a 3-1 lead late. But unable to tack on any more runs against the Marlins bullpen, they were forced to rely on their own relief corps to close it out.

Strickland, who threw eight pitches during a scoreless sixth, was brought back out for the seventh. He didn't stay out there for long. Austin Dean led off with a homer to left on a 3-1 fastball. Strickland then plunked Lewis Brinson, bringing Davey Martinez out of the dugout signaling for Suero.

"It just sucks," Strickland said. "There's no other way around it, no other word for it. It's falling behind in a count and leaving one in the middle. It was down, but it was still middle, and he definitely got the best of it."

Suero, appearing for the third straight day and team-high 75th time this year, proceeded to throw away a pickoff attempt for the second time this weekend. He then walked Magneuris Sierra before serving up a two-run double to Jon Berti on a line drive that sailed over right fielder Adam Eaton's head.

"It's no excuse, cause I feel great physically," Suero said via interpreter Octavio Martinez, when asked about his heavy workload. "If anything, it does cause my cutter to get bigger, and I just had a hard time controlling it. And when it is big and finding the zone with it, if anything it's that. But it has nothing to do with being tired, because physically I feel good."

Davey Martinez made another walk to the mound, this time signaling for Rainey (who was supposed to have today off after pitching three of the last four days) to face Starlin Castro. The Marlins' No. 3 hitter managed to throw his bat at a pitch below his knees and send a ball into the left field corner for an RBI triple to complete the four-run rally and force the Nats lineup to try to come back for the second straight day.

"When you fall behind, it's tough," Martinez said, referring to all of his relievers. "These guys have to come in and throw strikes and get outs. The biggest thing is get outs. You give up a run, you give up a run. But we've just got to get outs. We've got to get outs late in the game."

On Saturday night, the Nationals were able to score six runs in the top of the 10th en route to victory. Today, they had no such rally in them.

The Nationals jumped on Pablo López with three straight singles in the top of the first, including Anthony Rendon's 120th RBI of the season, fifth-most in Washington baseball history. But they never did deliver a knockout blow to the Marlins starter, keeping the game closer than they would have preferred.

They did pull off a savvy replay challenge in the top of the fourth to set the stage for a tack-on run. Moments after Brian Dozier's grounder to short scored Juan Soto, the Marlins appeared to turn an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play on Victor Robles. But Martinez and his video crew challenged the "neighborhood play," saying second baseman Isan Díaz's foot wasn't touching the bag when he caught the ball to make the turn. It was close, but replays did show Díaz's foot off the base, and so the inning continued.

Moments later, Voth sent a line drive single up the middle for his first career hit and RBI, extending the Nats' lead to 3-1.

"I was very shocked," said the rookie right-hander, who was 0-for-8 in his big league career. "I told myself if I just keep swinging, eventually one ball will land and they won't throw me out."

Voth had a solid, if unspectacular, afternoon on the mound. He gave up a first inning run that was made possible by Soto's misplay of Sierra's leadoff triple down the left field line. He didn't post one clean inning, but he also didn't allow another run over his five innings of work.

Beneath the surface, though, there was an issue. A cut on Voth's middle finger that bothered him in his last start again acted up today. The impact was significant: He couldn't throw any of his off-speed pitches with confidence; he threw only 30 non-fastballs, just 14 of those for strikes.

"It was bugging me for most of the game," he said. "At one point, I was just throwing all fastballs and then was showing off-speed (just to show it). I couldn't do anything in the moment."

Given that, and with his No. 5 starter's pitch count at 81, Martinez made the decision to turn to his bullpen in the bottom of the sixth. Strickland made it through that inning unscathed. The seventh was different story.

And because of that, another winnable game was lost late, leaving this team with plenty of work still to accomplish during the final week of the regular season.