After eventful first inning, Nationals hold on to beat Marlins

Jacob Young hit a two-run home run, Foster Griffin pitched seven strong innings and the Washington Nationals beat the host Miami Marlins 3-2 on Friday night.

Curtis Mead reached base three times on a double and two walks for Washington, which has won three straight games. The Nationals improved to 13-7 in road games.

All five runs were scored in the first inning.

Griffin (4-1) gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits. He set a career high with nine strikeouts and walked one. Griffin threw 103 pitches and lowered his ERA to 2.12.

Brad Lord got five outs before Javier Sanoja reached on an error by shortstop CJ Abrams in the ninth. PJ Poulin came on and walked Heriberto Hernandez before getting Leo Jimenez to ground into a forceout for his first save.

Xavier Edwards homered and Otto Lopez notched his fifth three-hit game of the season with a double and two singles for the Marlins, who have lost five of six.

Miami starter Robby Snelling (0-1) gave up three runs on five hits over five innings.

The Nationals started strong when Mead doubled with one out and scored on a two-out single by Abrams. Young followed with a long home run to left and Washington led 3-0.

Miami got two back in their half as the first three batters reached against Griffin. Edwards led off with a homer to left center and Lopez followed with a double. Kyle Stowers was safe when first baseman Mead threw high to Griffin covering first, and Lopez came home on the wild throw.

The first two Nationals reached in the second, but Snelling induced a double-play grounder from Keibert Ruiz.

Nasim Nunez walked leading off the Washington seventh and stole second. Mead walked with two outs before Brady House grounded into a force play.

Lopez singled with one out in the eighth inning but was thrown out attempting to steal second.

--Field Level Media