Ace Max Scherzer ran into some trouble in the eighth, but the Washington Nationals, powered by a three-homer day from Bryce Harper, were able to hold on for a 7-5 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday afternoon at Nationals Park.
The win gave the Nats the series win. Washington has won seven of its last nine after stumbling out of the gates to a 7-13 start.
Scherzer (2-3) was cruising along, staked to a 7-2 lead after an RBI single by Yunel Escobar and RBI groundout by Harper in the seventh added what turned out to be two important insurance runs.
Scherzer gave up back-to-back singles to Dee Gordon and Martin Prado to lead off the eighth before Giancarlo Stanton hit a three-run homer to left-center to cut the margin to two.
Tanner Roark came in and got into more trouble, giving up a pair of one-out singles before striking out Ichiro Suzuki and getting Adeiny Hechavarria to ground into a force out to end the inning.
Closer Drew Storen had some of his own self-created drama to work through in the ninth, hitting leadoff man Donovan Solano and giving up a single to Gordon before retiring the final three hitters in order, including getting Stanton on a swinging strikeout for out number two.
Harper’s homer barrage gives him eight on the season. Harper also drove in five runs.
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Chris Graham
