Marlins Return Home For 3 Game National Series
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Perhaps the best move of the offseason has been Washington's signing of second baseman Daniel Murphy, who remains scorching hot as he leads the Nationals into Miami on Friday for the opener of a three-game series against the Marlins.
Murphy hit a two-run homer and doubled as Washington jumped all over Matt Harvey in a 9-1 rout of the New York Mets on Thursday. The effort pushed Murphy's MLB-leading average to .397 and helped Washington win two of three from the Mets.
The Nationals and Marlins are quite familiar with one another, having played four games last weekend and 10 on the season already. Murphy is 13-for-34 in the season series and sports a .305 career average at Marlins Park.
Miami scored a total of three runs in losses at Philadelphia on Tuesday and Wednesday while slugger Giancarlo Stanton went 0-for-7 with seven strikeouts.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals Tanner Roark (2-3, 3.10 ERA) vs. Marlins Justin Nicolino (2-1, 3.75)
Roark owns an 8.40 ERA in three starts against Miami this season, but his mark in five outings against all other teams is 0.79. He suffered his first loss in nearly a month on Saturday after allowing seven runs in five innings versus the Marlins. The 29-year-old will need to be careful when facing Martin Prado (9-for-18) and J.T. Realmuto (6-for-13).
After working 7 1/3 scoreless innings in his season debut on April 27, Nicolino has allowed 10 earned runs in 16 2/3 frames and lost at Washington on Saturday. The Nationals got to the 24-year-old for four runs in 4 2/3 innings, drawing five walks against just one strikeout. Nicolino, who has issued 31 free passes while fanning only 27 in his career, is 0-2 with a 9.58 ERA in two meetings with Washington.
WALK-OFFS
1. Marlins LF Christian Yelich has produced three straight two-hit efforts.
2. Nationals RF Bryce Harper has recorded four home runs and 10 walks in nine games against the Marlins this year.
3. Following this series, the National League East rivals won't meet again until Sept. 19.
PREDICTION: Nationals 5, Marlins 4
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