Notes and quotes from the Nationals’ series finale in Miami…
Keibert Ruiz and Ildemaro Vargas hit back-to-back, one-out singles off of Marlins’ reliever Tanner Scott with Miami up 2-1 over Washington in the series finale with the Nationals on Sunday afternoon in loanDepot park. The so-called “scrappy” Nationals, who have made rallying late something of a habit in recent weeks, including in Saturday’s win, didn’t do it this time.
Rookie outfielder Jacob Young (who scored his first run in his first game in the majors when he came on as a pinch runner late on Saturday afternoon, and started his first game in the big leagues on Sunday) sent a roller out to third to start a rally-killing and game-ending 5-4-3 double play.
CJ Abrams singled to start the third, took third on a double by Lane Thomas, and scored on a groundout by Dominic Smith to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead early, but it was the only run they scored in the 2-1 loss.
Martinez’s club went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position and eight left on in the one-run loss in the finale in Miami.
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
“The offense just couldn’t score any runs,” manager Davey Martinez said after the game.
“We had a couple of opportunities and we couldn’t capitalize on them. So that’s how it goes.
“We’re going to come back tomorrow, we’re playing well. Let’s forget about this one, come back tomorrow and go 1-0 tomorrow.”
Going up against the Marlins on a bullpen day for the home team definitely had some impact on his team’s approach according to Martinez, with his club facing a parade of relievers, six in all, over the course of the game, and swinging early in counts where he believed they otherwise might have been patient.
“They were a little more aggressive,” he explained. “I think it’s just the fact that these guys come out of the bullpen — when guys come in [out] of the bullpen, we tend to try to attack early because they want to get ahead, today we just couldn’t get nothing going.”
As for his own pitching, Martinez got a second consecutive quality start out of veteran Trevor Williams, who’s bounced back some in the last two after a string of rough starts.
It was, effectively, one of those “one bad pitch” outings for Williams, who worked around a double in the first, and a walk and a single in the second, before giving up a leadoff single and a two-run home run in the first two at-bats of the third, with Luis Arraez scoring on the 418 ft blast to left-center by Jorge Soler, who crushed a hanging 0-2 sweeper (pitch type according to Gameday).
Miami runs on Soler Power.
(☀️: @ADT) pic.twitter.com/Dk3T6kDhvW
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) August 27, 2023
“One pitch to a guy that hits the ball really hard, really far,” Martinez said.
“Trevor was really good. And we battled till the end there. We had the winning run at first base, just couldn’t get it done today.”
Ildemaro Vargas sabe cómo tratar a los panas. pic.twitter.com/kQ5Q5if23g
— MLB Venezuela (@MLBVenezuela) August 27, 2023
KEIBERT RUIZ BACK TONIGHT?:
Keibert Ruiz left Wednesday’s game late, after taking a foul tip off of his mask while behind the plate in New York, and on Friday he was a late scratch.
“He felt a little lightheaded,” manager Davey Martinez explained. “We didn’t play him today; he’s out of the lineup today. I just want to be cautious. We’ll see how he feels after today.”
Ruiz was the DH for the series opener in Miami on Friday, going 2 for 5 with a run scored. He spent the morning on Saturday at the dentist, so his skipper decided to give him another day.
“Keibert had to go to the dentist today, so he was at the dentist all day. So I’m not going to play him today,” Martinez told reporters.
“They were digging in there, but he’ll be ready to go if we need him to pinch hit.”
Riley Adams was in there again on Sunday afternoon, starting his fourth consecutive game and his fifth in the last six, which is a lot of work for a player who’s started 36 total this year.
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
“After talking to the medical staff last night, we just wanted to give [Ruiz] another day today and make sure that he’s totally good so he could come back and get ready to go,” Martinez said. “Riley Adams has been playing well. We just want to give [Ruiz] another day and make sure he’s well and rested and ready to go tomorrow.”
Will Ruiz be back in there for tonight’s opener in Toronto?
“I expect to play tomorrow,” Martinez said yesterday.
“He should be okay. He said he feels better. But like I said, it was more just keeping him off his feet another day. He’s taking some medication.
“So let it get in there, let it get settled, and he’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”
Drew Millas, 25, and one of three prospects acquired from the Oakland A’s for Yan Gomes and Josh Harrison at the trade deadline in 2021, has been with the team in the past few if he’s needed, and he’ll reportedly be in Toronto as well.