Eury Perez stays sharp as Marlins beat Nationals

Aug 22, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Eury Perez (39) throws against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images Heriberto Hernandez slugged his team-leading 19th homer, and Eury Perez continued his stellar pitching as the host Miami Marlins defeated the Nationals 4-2 on Saturday afternoon. Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks, who blew a save opportunity on Friday, was not used in this game. Instead, Calvin Faucher pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his second save of the season. Jakob Marsee also homered for the Marlins, who will try for a three-game sweep on Sunday. It was "Dominican Heritage Celebration" night at Miami's LoanDepot Park, which was fitting, as both Hernandez and Perez are natives of the Dominican Republic. Perez (7-9) allowed three hits, three walks and two runs (one earned) in five innings. Perez has a 3.17 ERA this season, but since returning from injury on June 24, he has a 1.80 ERA. Washington is 2-9 over its past 11 games. In addition, the Nationals have scored just four runs over their past three games. Jake Irvin (2-8) took the loss, allowing six hits, two walks and four runs in six innings. He has lost four straight decisions. The Nationals, who are 1-7 against the Marlins this year, were without three of their top hitters: shortstop CJ Abrams (ankle), right fielder James Wood (oblique) and catcher Keibert Ruiz (rest). Miami opened the scoring in the first inning as Griffin Conine drew an eight-pitch walk, advanced to third on Owen Caissie's double and scored along with Caissie on Otto Lopez's two-run, opposite-field single. Nationals right fielder Dylan Crews dove to try to catch Lopez's 97-mph drive. However, Crews made a diving attempt, but the ball deflected off him. The Marlins made it 3-0 in the second on Hernandez's 393-foot homer to left. Washington got on the board in the fourth as Abimelec Ortiz walked, advanced on a groundout and scored on shortstop Lopez's two-out throwing error. Miami got that run back in the bottom of the fourth on Marsee's solo blast. Washington cut its deficit to 4-2 in the fifth on Crews' RBI double that went in and out of the glove of right fielder Esteury Ruiz, who charged in and made a diving attempt. --Field Level Media