The Washington Nationals are heating up at just the right time, riding a three-game win streak after a gritty 3-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Friday night. All the damage came early, but it was more than enough to secure the series opener on the road.
With this win, the Nationals improved to just one game under .500 and boast an impressive 13-7 record away from home—one of the best road marks in all of baseball. It's their first three-game winning streak since sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers back in mid-April, and the momentum is building.
The offense struck fast and furious in the first inning. Curtis Mead led off with a double, and CJ Abrams drove him in with an RBI single. Then Jacob Young stepped up and crushed a 403-foot home run over the left-field wall, giving Washington a commanding 3-0 lead before the Marlins even had a chance to settle in.
But Miami answered quickly. After 14 consecutive scoreless innings from Nationals pitching, Foster Griffin's streak came to an abrupt end when the Marlins led off the bottom of the first with a home run. A double followed, and a throwing error by Mead brought in Miami's second run, cutting the lead to 3-2. It marked the first time Griffin had allowed a run in the opening frame all season.
From there, Griffin locked in and delivered his best performance of the year. Over seven innings, he allowed just one earned run on four hits while striking out a season-high nine batters. He became just the second Nationals starter this season to reach that strikeout mark, lowering his ERA to a stellar 2.12 in the process.
The Nationals' bats went quiet after the first inning, wasting several scoring opportunities. In the second, Joey Wiemer walked and Nasim Nunez reached on a bunt, but a double play quickly ended the threat. James Wood grounded out in the third, and the offense never found its rhythm again. Still, Griffin's dominance on the mound made the early runs stand up.
For a team with one of the best road records in baseball, this win streak is a sign that the Nationals are finding their groove. If Griffin keeps dealing like this, Washington's hot streak might just be getting started.