MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 13 - The Washington Nationals lost today's rubber match to their division rival, the Marlins, after keeping the game close before the disastrous seventh and eighth innings. MacKenzie Gore gave the Nats a chance but ultimately ate the loss after rough performances from Jorge López and Lucas Sims.

Gore, who has looked incredible through his first few starts after a 13-strikeout performance on Opening Day, took the mound for the Nats and pitched six innings, allowing four runs on eight hits while striking out seven. He kept the Nationals competitive through the early frames, but Miami’s offense gradually wore him down and capitalized on his mistakes. Miami took a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Liam Hicks. Gore finished the inning, but the game unraveled for Washington from there.

Jorge Lopez took over in the seventh and quickly surrendered a three-run, pinch-hit homer to Potomac, Maryland native and Georgetown Prep’s alumni Matt Mervis, putting the Marlins ahead 7-3. The eighth inning was even worse for the bullpen. Lucas Sims could not get an out, allowing four runs on two hits and three walks. Big-time hits from Otto Lopez, Kyle Stowers, and Griffin Conine extended Miami's lead to 11-3, and all hope was lost in the dugout.

Offensively, the Nationals managed 10 hits and eight walks to score four runs but left 10 runners on base. Alex Call, Paul DeJong, Nathaniel Lowe, and Jacob Young each contributed RBIs, but the team couldn't capitalize on scoring opportunities, going 5-for-17 with runners in scoring position. The Nationals scored first and had a 1-0 lead in the second, and had a two-run fourth inning to give them a 3-1 lead. It must have gotten to them, however, that every time they took a lead, Gore allowed the Marlins to tie the game that same inning.

An interesting side note is that all of the Nationals’ hits today were singles, which is a stark contrast from their recent power surge at the plate, both in this series and before. All that will be remembered, however, is that with this loss, the Nationals fall to 6-9 on the season and a tragic 1-5 on the road. While not every game will go the way you want, this one was just a disappointing outlier, seeing as the Nats have been playing a competitive, clean brand of baseball through the first 15 games of this regular season.

Up next…

The Washington Nationals will be forced to put this one in the rear-view mirror as they head up to Pittsburgh tonight, where they will send out Brad Lord to go up against Dylan Crews’ former LSU teammate and reigning NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes tomorrow. Jake Irvin will get the nod on Tuesday, followed by Mitchell Parker on Wednesday, and then Trevor Williams for the Thursday series finale. The Nationals will then go to Colorado before coming home for a battle of the beltway series.