Marlins 9, Nationals 0: Ricky Nolasco tossed a five-hitter for his third career shutout and Miami finally solved Stephen Strasburg, as the host Marlins easily took the opener of a two-game set against National League East leader Washington.
Justin Ruggiano had a homer among his career-high four hits and Giancarlo Stanton added three hits and three RBIs to help the Marlins send Washington to its fifth straight loss.
The five-game skid matches the Nationals' longest of the season from April 26-May 1 and sliced their division lead to four games over Atlanta.
Strasburg (15-6) had not allowed a run in 27 innings against the Marlins, but that streak was snapped with Ruggiano's first-pitch blast to left-center in the first. It only got worse, as the Nationals' ace allowed a career-high seven runs (five earned) and nine hits over five innings.
Nolasco (10-12) was outdueled by Strasburg twice this season, but this time the Marlins' right-hander was masterful. He held the Nationals without a hit until Kurt Suzuki's single with two outs in the fifth. He didn't give up an extra-base hit until Chad Tracy's one-out double in the ninth. Nolasco struck out six and did not issue a walk.
Stanton had an RBI single in the first and a two-run single in the sixth, and Greg Dobbs added a two-run single in the third for Miami.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Miami rookie Donovan Solano extended his career-best hitting streak to 11 games, the longest active streak in the National League. … Washington OF Michael Morse (hand) and SS Ian Desmond (hamstring) both returned to the lineup and went hitless. … Nolasco has won 10 or more games in five consecutive seasons and six times in his career. … Strasburg had allowed seven runs in 40 1/3 innings against the Marlins entering the game. He allowed seven in five innings Tuesday.
Washington | Miami | |
Stephen Strasburg | Player | Ricky Nolasco |
Loss | W/L | Win |
5.0 | IP | 9.0 |
3 | Strikeouts | 6 |
9 | Hits | 5 |
9.00 | ERA | 0.00 |
Washington | Miami | |
Kurt Suzuki | Player | Justin Ruggiano |
2 | Hits | 4 |
0 | RBI | 2 |
0 | HR | 1 |
2 | TB | 7 |
.500 | Avg | 1.000 |
Team | Hits | HR | TB | Avg | LOB | K | RBI | BB | SB | Errors |
Washington | 5 | 0 | 6 | .147 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Miami | 13 | 1 | 18 | .351 | 18 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 |