Marlins Top Nationals Behind Pérez, Homers

MIAMI — Heriberto Hernández and Jakob Marsee each hit solo home runs, and Eury Pérez pitched five innings as the Miami Marlins defeated the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Saturday at loanDepot Park.

The Marlins improved to 40-25 at home, the first time they have reached 40 home wins since 2023, when they set a club record with 46, according to the Associated Press.

Pérez (7-9) allowed one earned run on three hits while striking out four. He entered the game having made back-to-back scoreless starts and posting a 1.80 ERA over his last 10 outings, seven of them quality starts, since coming off the injured list June 24, according to MLB News. Pérez missed nearly a month due to an inner thigh strain. He has now set career highs in starts (23) and innings pitched (127 2/3) this season.

"He just didn't really have terrific rhythm," Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said, according to MLB News. "Eury's come a long way. I think we're talking about it differently now on those kinds of days where it's a little more scattered — he's still tough to hit."

Pérez, who regularly touched 99 mph with his four-seam fastball, said via team interpreter Luis Dorante Jr.: "I was competing out there with what I had. Some of the pitches were not landing exactly what I wanted. I'm thankful I was competing out there, keeping the ball on the ground."

Otto Lopez drove in Miami's first two runs with a single in the first inning. Hernández homered to left field in the second to make it 3-0, and Marsee followed in the fourth with his eighth home run of the season.

Washington's Jake Irvin (2-8) surrendered all four runs on six hits in six innings. The Nationals scored a run in the fourth on Lopez's throwing error, and Dylan Crews added an RBI double in the fifth.

Calvin Faucher worked a hitless ninth for his second save of the season.

The Marlins designated Saturday as their Dominican Heritage Celebration, according to MLB News.

Miami has now won 40 or more games at home for the first time since 2023, when they finished with an 84-78 record, per Sports Illustrated. As of Aug. 23, the current Marlins had a 66-64 record (40-25 at home), according to the same source.

"It's nice to see these players who were struggling in the first half are starting to hit their stride in the second half slowly," Sports Illustrated reported.

Up next, Nationals left-hander Jackson Kent (0-1, 9.39 ERA) was scheduled to start opposite Marlins right-hander Janson Junk (6-8, 4.37) in Sunday's series finale, according to the Associated Press.