Nationals' ninth-inning rally falls short in loss to Miami

Jesus Sanchez had two hits including a home run, Calvin Faucher retired James Wood with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth and the visiting Miami Marlins beat the Washington Nationals 4-3 on Saturday.

Liam Hicks and Dane Myers had two hits each for Miami, which has won three of its last four.

Trailing 4-1, Washington challenged the Marlins in the ninth. Call led off with a double against Anthony Bender and went to third on defensive indifference. Josh Bell walked and Call scored on a wild pitch with Bell going to second. Luis Garcia, Jr. doubled to the wall in right-center with Bell, who was tagging up, stopping at third.

Robert Hassell III hit a grounder to first that Eric Wagaman booted as Bell scored to make it 4-3. With the infield in and no outs, Keibert Ruiz grounded to first and Hassell moved to second. CJ Abrams was intentionally walked to load the bases. Amed Rosario flied to left and Faucher came in to face Wood, who popped to shortstop Otto Lopez in short left.

Janson Junk (1-0) worked 5 2/3 scoreless innings of relief in a bullpen game, allowing two hits and striking out four. Faucher earned his seventh save.

Abrams and Call had two hits each for Washington, which has lost seven straight.

Trevor Williams (3-8) gave up two runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings.

Washington took the early 1-0 lead. Nathaniel Lowe walked to lead off the second, ending the afternoon for Marlins opener Cade Gibson, and Call singled. Ronny Henriquez retired the next two batters but then walked two straight to force in a run.

Sanchez doubled leading off the third, went to third on a fly out and scored the tying run when Hicks singled to center.

Hicks and Lopez singled leading off the sixth against Williams. Brad Lord replaced Williams and Wagaman singled, scoring Hicks to make it 2-1.

Sanchez homered to right against Lord with one out in the seventh to make it 3-1.

The Marlins added an unearned run in the eighth. Kyle Stowers led off with a single and Myers singled with one out. Connor Norby struck out, but Garcia dropped Javier Sanoja's pop up to short right and Stowers scored.

--Field Level Media