Nationals Beat Marlins 3-2 as Griffin Fans 9

Foster Griffin struck out a season-high nine batters over seven innings while allowing two runs, and Jacob Young hit a two-run homer as the Washington Nationals defeated the Miami Marlins 3-2 on Friday night in Miami.

All five runs came in the first inning. The Nationals jumped ahead against Marlins starter Robby Snelling in his major league debut. With one out, Curtis Mead doubled and later scored on a two-out single by C.J. Abrams. Young followed with a drive to left for a 3-0 lead. Miami answered in the bottom half against Griffin. Xavier Edwards led off with a homer to left-center. Otto López doubled, and Kyle Stowers reached on a throwing error by Mead at first base on a grounder, allowing López to score and making it 3-2.

Griffin (4-1) settled in after that, scattering four hits, walking one and lowering his ERA to 2.12. He retired his final eight batters faced on 103 pitches. Brad Lord followed with five outs before shortstop C.J. Abrams committed a throwing error on Javier Sanoja in the ninth. P.J. Poulin then relieved, walked pinch-hitter Heriberto Hernández and induced Leo Jiménez to ground into a forceout at second for his second career save and first this season.