Washington Nationals’ lineup for 2nd of 3 with the Miami Marlins…

Davey Martinez and Co. try to put aside their frustration and bounce back after last night’s loss to the Marlins…

Another run-in with Rule 5.09a(11), which the Washington Nationals stubbornly refuse to follow [ed. note – “Stop. He’s kidding.”], and the umpires’ refusal to review some plays in Monday’s loss, had Nats’ skipper Davey Martinez hopping mad, but he did take a couple minutes in his post game Zoom call to address other issues which led to an 8-7 loss.

While everyone in the visitors dugout and clubhouse was frustrated after the game, the fourth-year manager said he likes the way his club continues to fight down the stretch.

“They’re playing hard to win, we just can’t finish the games, you know?” Martinez said.

Erick Fedde made a few crucial mistakes which led to home runs, the bullpen had issues again, but the Nationals didn’t really play a clean game as a group.

“The errors today cost us a bunch of runs as well,” Martinez added.

“So, we just got to come back tomorrow and play good, clean baseball, and keep swinging the bats the way we’re swinging.”

As for the Nationals’ latest run-in with Rule 5.09a(11), which governs the path a runner has to take on the way to first, and the interference call on Josh Bell, who got hit in the back with a throw to first base (after he’d reached the bag) and was called out in a crucial spot, Martinez said he hadn’t addressed their frustration after the game.

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow,” the manager said. “Right now everybody is frustrated. It’s frustrating, but we got to come back and be ready to play tomorrow.”

Through the frustration though, his club has continued to fight.

“You watch them, they’re playing hard,” Martinez said.

“They’re working good at bats, they’re doing the little things. You watch Carter [Kieboom], trying to steal there at the end.

“You watch a play at home, a tremendous slide by Carter, you know, to beat [catcher Sandy] León, they’re playing hard and they’re starting to understand that they want to win.”

A win tonight would be nice.

HERE’S THE NATIONALS’ LINEUP FOR THE 2ND OF 3 WITH THE MARLINS: