Surging Nationals offense aims to bash Marlins again

Josh Bell, rookie Daylen Lile and the Washington Nationals will look to continue their power display on Wednesday evening when they visit the Miami Marlins in the third contest of a four-game series.

Bell hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the ninth inning of Washington's 6-3 road victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. He launched a pair of two-run shots the following day to highlight a four-hit, six-RBI performance in the Nationals' 15-7 romp over the Marlins, then added a three-run homer and four RBIs in a 7-5 win on Tuesday.

"I feel like my path is there," Bell told MASN. "I feel like I'm starting (my swing) on time, and mistakes are driven -- they are not fouled off. (I'm) definitely in a good place."

So is Lile, who also went deep on Tuesday to improve to 16-for-37 (.432) with two homers, seven RBIs and 11 runs during a nine-game hitting streak.

"He's got a short swing; he's not trying to do too much," Bell said of Lile. "He's so strong and he's so compact that if mistakes are made, he's driving balls all over the ballpark. ...

"All this success that he's been (having) the last couple of weeks has been expected in the clubhouse."

The Nationals (60-84) have defeated the Marlins (66-79) in five consecutive meetings during their 7-1 run to start the month. Miami, in turn, has lost seven of its past eight contests.

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough, however, credited his team's late-inning compete level on Tuesday, as Miami trimmed a five-run deficit to two with two outs in the ninth inning. Victor Mesa Jr. ripped a two-run double, and Xavier Edwards legged out an infield RBI single before Agustin Ramirez grounded out to end the game.

"We're very happy that we kept going and were able to bring the winning run to the plate in the ninth," McCullough said. "Saw some really good at-bats and credit to (Edwards) for getting out of the box and busting it down there."

Washington's Jake Irvin (8-11, 5.71 ERA) will look to continue his team's good fortune on Wednesday when he starts against Miami's Eury Perez (6-5, 4.66) in a battle of right-handers.

Irvin's considerable struggles continued on Friday as he surrendered seven runs on five hits with four walks in 3 1/3 innings of an 11-5 setback to the Cubs. He yielded two homers for the fourth time in six outings and fell to 0-6 with a 9.87 ERA in his past seven trips to the mound.

"That's been the story of the season, (not) limiting that damage, (not) keeping the ball in the yard," Irvin told MASN. "I've got to find a way to do it."

Irvin, who has allowed a National League-high 33 homers on the season, is 1-0 with a 2.86 ERA in four career appearances (all starts) against the Marlins.

Like Irvin, Perez permitted seven runs and two homers in his latest outing -- against the Nationals, no less. He allowed eight hits in four innings in a 10-5 defeat on Sept. 3.

Perez has lost consecutive decisions after going 6-1 in his previous 11 trips to the mound.

He is 1-1 with a 4.56 ERA in five career appearances (all starts) against Washington, including an 0-1 mark with a 9.00 ERA in two outings this year.

--Field Level Media