WASHINGTON (AP) — The Miami Marlins completed a three-game sweep Sunday, defeating the Washington Nationals 4-2 to move 10 games over .500 for the first time in 12 years.
The Marlins improved to 41-31 and are off to the second-best start in franchise history through 72 games, behind only the 1997 team that was 43-29 and went on to win the World Series. Miami, which is 10 games over .500 for the first time since May 28, 2011, has swept the Nationals in three of its four trips to Washington since the start of last season.
Lane Thomas homered for Washington, which has lost three in a row and 11 of 13. The Nationals are an NL-worst 27-43 and are a season-high 16 games under .500.
Jesús Luzardo, who was drafted by Washington in 2016, earned his first victory in three career starts at Nationals Park. Luzardo (6-5) yielded five hits and two runs over six innings while striking out five.
His lone costly misstep came in the third, when Thomas drilled a slider into the seats with a man on to tie it at 2. It was Thomas' team-high 11th homer of the season.
Miami went ahead for good in the fourth. After Patrick Corbin (4-8) allowed back-to-back singles to open the inning, Bryan De La Cruz hit a sacrifice fly and Jorge Soler followed with a run-scoring single to make it 4-2.
Andrew Nardi handled the ninth to earn his second save.
Corbin worked in and out of trouble for much of the afternoon, surrendering 11 hits and four runs. But he still navigated six innings and stranded nine Marlins, including five in scoring position.
The Marlins took the lead in the second on Jacob Amaya's RBI fielder's choice and added another run off Corbin the next inning on Nick Fortes’ sacrifice fly.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: 2B Luis Arraez was out of the lineup for the first time since May 25. Arraez leads the majors with a .388 batting average.
Nationals: 3B Jeimer Candelario was a late scratch. It was Candelario's first day off since May 28.
AMAYA'S DAY OF FIRSTS
Amaya became the second player in Marlins history with a hit, run, RBI and stolen base in his first career game. The other was Jerar Encarnación, who did it on June 19, 2022 --- which was also Father's Day.
UP NEXT
Marlins: Miami has not announced its starter for Monday, when it returns home to begin a three-game series against Toronto.
Nationals: Washington opens a three-game series Monday against St. Louis. RHP Josiah Gray (4-5, 3.19 ERA) is 0-1 with an 8.64 ERA in two career starts against the Cardinals.
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