Arraez 5-for-5 with homer, 3 RBIs, Marlins beat Nationals 6-5
Luis Arraez broke out of an 0-for-15 slide with a 5-for-5 night that included three RBIs, raising his major league-leading batting average from .378 to .390 and helping the Miami Marlins beat the Washington Nationals 6-5 on Friday.
Arraez singled in the first off Trevor Williams and hit a two-run homer in the second for a 4-2 lead, ending a 52-game homerless streak dating to April 11. He had an RBI single in the fourth, then singled in the seventh against Mason Thompson and singled in the ninth against Chad Kuhl to match his career high with five hits, set June 3 against Oakland.
Garrett Cooper hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning off Carl Edwards Jr. (1-3), and the Marlins won for the 10th time in 13 games. Miami improved to 18-5 in one-run games, including 3-0 against the Nats, the most one-run wins in the major leagues.
Miami (39-31) is off to its second-best 70-game behind i42-28 in 1997, when it won the World Series.
Yuli Gurriel drew a one-out walk in the eighth, advanced on Joey Wendle's single and scored from second when pinch-hitter Garrett Cooper grounded a single up the middle. Shortstop CJ Abrams got to the ball but couldn't field it cleanly and his throw home bounced and wasn't glove by catcher Keibert Ruiz.
Andrew Nardi (4-1) allowed one hit in 1 2/3 scoreless innings, and A.J. Puk worked around a two-out single in the ninth for his eighth save in nine chances.
Lane Thomas had his seventh leadoff homer — he had been 0 for 15 against Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara — and also doubled. Jeimer Candelario tied the Nationals record with three doubles.
Alcantara gave up five runs and 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings. Alcantara's ERA rose to 4.97 and he has given up four or more earned runs in five of last seven starts.
Washington starter Trevor Williams allowed up five runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Jesús Sánchez hit a two-run single in the first.
Abrams and Thomas hit consecutive RBI doubles that tied the score 5-5 in the fourth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: 3B Jean Segura (left hamstring) did not play. ... LHP Trevor Rogers (right lat strain) is rehabbing in Jupiter, Florida, and will be evaluated this weekend. He could begin throwing on Monday.
Nationals: CF Victor Robles (back spasms) came off the injured list and went 1 for 4 with two strikjeouts. OF Alex Call was optioned to Triple-A Rochester.
UP NEXT
Marlins LHP Braxton Garrett (2-2, 4.10) has a 2.25 ERA in his past six starts heading into Saturday's outing. Nationals: RHP Jake Irvin (1-3, 5.81) was skipped his last turn and hasn't pitched since June 6 vs. Arizona.
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