Game Recap: Miami Marlins vs Washington Nationals

Marlins Lineup today vs Nats LF Pierre, 3B Polanco, RF Stanton, 1B Dobbs, CF Ruggiano, C Brantly, 2B Valaika, SS Hechavarria, RHP Alvarez.

With the Nationals’ Dan Haren pitching against the Marlins’ Henderson Alvarez the Marlins struck first with two outs in the bottom of the first when Marlins’ slugger Giancarlo Stanton went yard off of Dan Haren to right field.

Mar 19, 2013; Jupiter, FL, USA; Miami Marlins right fielder

(27) heads back to the dugout in the fourth inning during a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

In the bottom of the second inning Marlins’ 2B Chris Valaika would homer off of Haren to left field to make the score 2-0 Marlins.

The Nationals countered in the top of the third inning when Bryce Harper singled to right field scoring Kurt Suzuki and when Marlins’ 2B Chris Valaika made a fielding error, that allowed Jayson Werth to score tying the game a 2-2.

The Nationals’ Roger Bernadina would score after another fielding error by Marlins first baseman Greg Dobbs in the top of the fifth inning making the score 2-3 Nationals and then in that same inning the Nationals would score again off of a wild pitch by Henderson Alvarez making it 2-4 Nationals.  In the bottom of the fifth inning the Marlins’ Chris Coghlan would homer with a line drive to right field with Adeiny Hechavarria on base to tie the game up again 4-4.

The Marlins would go ahead in the bottom of the sixth inning with Giancarlo Stanton‘s second homer of the day off of Dan Haren, this time to center field making the score 5-4 Marlins.

Mike Dunn would come in to replace Henderson Alvarez in the top of the seventh inning and promptly give up a solo home-run to the Nationals’ Roger Bernadina to right field tying the game at 5-5.  Things got interesting in the bottom of the seventh when Dan Haren was replaced by the Nationals with Ryan Mattheus.  Placido Polanco singled scoring Casey Kotchman and Juan Pierre making the score 7-5 Marlins.  Justin Ruggiano would single in that same inning scoring Placido Polanco making the score 8-5 Marlins.  Greg Dobbs was thrown out at home plate on the relay from CF Roger Bernadina to SS Carlos Rivero to C Kurt Suzuki.

Highlights from the game would be the two home-runs by Giancarlo Stanton and seven strikeouts over five innings pitched by Marlins starting pitcher Henderson Alvarez.