Game Preview: Nationals take on the Marlins this afternoon at Nationals Park; Meneses continues to shine

The Washington Nationals will face the Marlins for the second game of the weekend series. Nationals snapped their eight-game home losing streak at the hands of Miami.

by Richard Wachtel

Updated September 17, 2022

Washington D.C. - The Washington Nationals will face the Marlins for the second game of the weekend series. Last night, the Nationals snapped their eight-game home losing streak at the hands of the Miami Marlins dating to Sept. 15, 2021.

Outfielder Joey Meneses hit an in-the-park homerun to guide the Washington Nationals to a win over the Marlins. Menese's in-the-park homerun was the eighth in Nationals history (2005-present). He joined Andrew Stevenson (Sept. 26, 2020), Trea Turner (Sept. 3, 2020), Michael A. Taylor (Sept. 8, 2017), Stephen Drew (May 31, 2016), Ryan Zimmerman (May 15, 2016), Willie Harris (Sept. 24, 2010) and Austin Kearns (May 12, 2007) on the list of players to achieve the feat.

Meneses has had an impact with the Nationals after getting called up due to the Juan Soto trade. His teammates are noticing: "To have someone like Joey hit an inside-the-park home run, someone, that’s playing very well, and as he’s running the bases, I can tell he was getting slower and slower, and just a little bit more tired. I’m very happy for him that things are going well for him, and it definitely sparked our offense,” said Ildemaro Vargas.

Washington Nationals fans also have been noticing the play of Meneses, so much so that after his in-the-park-homerun, Washington Nationals fans requested and got a curtain call from the 30-year-old. Meneses has been giving Nats fans reason for applause since he was called up on Aug. 2. He is batting .323 with a .913 OPS, ten doubles, nine home runs, and 23 RBIs while hitting safely in 31 of his first 38 games with the team.

“The truth is, I never thought that this would happen to me,” Meneses said of the ovation. “But it is something very beautiful and special that I will always remember.”

The Nationals will send RHP Erick Fedde to the mound, who is 6-10 with an ERA of 5.24 in 23 appearances this season. In his last start against the Phillies, Fedde went 3.2 innings giving up four runs on five hits and only striking out one. The Nationals will face LHP Trevor Rogers, who is 4-11 with an ERA of 5.35. In Roger's last appearance, he went 6.1 giving up two runs on four hits.