Keibert Ruiz was a triple shy of the cycle, Jacob Young also had three hits and the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 6-2 on Tuesday night.
Patrick Corbin continued his recent stretch of solid starts with 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball and Joey Gallo hit a three-run homer for the Nationals, who are 8-0 against the Marlins this season after going 6-26 against their NL East opponent the previous two seasons.
Corbin (5-12) allowed seven hits and matched a season-high with eight strikeouts. The left-hander won his third consecutive start after going 2-12 in his previous 25 outings.
Young’s RBI single in the third put the Nationals ahead 1-0. Ruiz hit a leadoff double and raced home after Young’s line drive bounced inside the right-field foul line.
The Nationals padded their lead on Gallo’s homer in the fourth.
Miami got on the board when Connor Norby hit a run-scoring double in the fifth.
Ruiz’s two-out solo shot in the sixth made it 5-1 and chased Max Meyer (3-5), who allowed five runs and nine hits. The rookie right-hander walked one and struck out five in 5 2/3 innings.
Cristian Pache narrowed the deficit with an RBI double in the sixth before Washington regained the four-run advantage on Andrés Chaparro’s RBI groundout in the ninth.
Marlins shortstop Xavier Edwards returned from the injured list and went 0 for 5. Before being sidelined because of back soreness on Aug. 24, Edwards took over the leadoff spot, hitting .349 with 22 stolen bases in 47 games.
Trainer’s room
Nationals: RHP Cade Cavalli (right elbow surgery) threw his first bullpen Tuesday since experiencing “dead arm” fatigue during a rehab outing in May. Depending on his progression, Cavalli could face hitters before the end of the season.
Marlins: OF Jesús Sánchez left because of a mild back muscle spasm after successfully stealing a base in the second. … RHP Anthony Bender (right shoulder impingement) threw a scoreless inning in a rehab outing Triple-A Jacksonville on Tuesday.
Up next
LHP MacKenzie Gore (8-11, 4.45) will start the finale of the two-game set for the Nationals on Wednesday while RHP Valente Bellozo (2-2, 4.32) will go for the Marlins.
