Kendrick helps Nationals knock off Marlins
Erick Fedde pitched five scoreless innings, and Howie Kendrick drove in the game's first three runs to lead the host Washington Nationals to a 9-6 win over the Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon.
Fedde (1-0), making his seventh appearance of the year and his second start, allowed four hits and three walks, striking out four and lowering his ERA to 2.18.
Kendrick went 3-for-5 with a homer, a two-run single and two runs scored. It was his second three-hit game of the year, and he was robbed of extra bases by Harold Ramirez's running catch against the wall in right-center.
Brian Dozier also had a big game for Washington, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs, and Juan Soto extended his hit streak to 10 games.
The Nationals have won a season-high three straight games and will go for a four-game sweep on Monday. They had entered the series on a season-worst five-game skid.
Marlins left-hander Caleb Smith (3-2) lost his second straight decision and lasted just three innings, his shortest outing of the season. He allowed five runs and five hits, walking two and striking out one. Before this outing, he had struck out at least six batters in each game.
Kendrick opened the scoring in the second. He hit five foul balls before ending a nine-pitch at-bat with his solo homer. Kendrick drove an elevated 93-mph fastball to right-center for his eighth homer of the season.
The Nationals stretched their lead to 5-0 in the third. Smith got the first two batters out, but the next six reached.
Adam Eaton started the rally with a double, Anthony Rendon was walked intentionally, and Soto drew a full-count walk to load the bases. Kendrick's line-drive single to left brought in two runs, and Dozier's two-run double off the wall in right-center gave the Nationals a 5-0 lead.
Washington scored four more runs in the sixth. Yan Gomes and Michael A. Taylor led off the inning with consecutive doubles, Rendon hit a two-run triple, and Soto capped the rally with a sacrifice fly to make it 9-0.
Miami got on the board in the eighth on Neil Walker's two-run homer, which traveled 428 feet to center. It was his fourth homer of the season and his first since April 13.
Marlins third baseman Brian Anderson smoked a three-run double with two outs in the ninth, and Walker added an RBI single to provide the final margin.
--Field Level Media
