Yunel Escobar had a career-night against the Marlins. (Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yunel Escobar had a career-high five hits, including a two-run single in the eighth inning as the Washington Nationals came back to beat the Miami Marlins 6-4 on Monday.
The Nationals scored four runs in the eighth and took the lead as Escobar sliced his tiebreaking hit to right field against Marlins reliever Bryan Morris (3-1).
Washington shortstop Ian Desmond, who snapped an 0-for-29 skid Saturday, hit a two-run homer in the seventh against Morris to tie the game at 4-4.
Washington (13-14) won for the sixth time in seven games while the Marlins (12-14) lost for the second day in a row after four straight wins.
Nationals reliever Matt Grace (1-0) picked up his first big league win and Tanner Roark pitched the ninth for his first save of the year.
Roark fanned right fielder Giancarlo Stanton for the final out with a runner on base.
Pinch-hitter Jeff Baker had singled in second baseman Dee Gordon with the go-ahead run to give the Marlins a 3-2 lead in the seventh.
The hit to right by Baker, from nearby Woodbridge, Va., came against Grace and scored Gordon, who led off the inning with a walk. The Marlins scored another run as left field Ichiro Suzuki (three hits) had an infield RBI single later in the seventh to make the score 4-2.
Washington had tied the game at 2-2 in the seventh on an RBI single against reliever Sam Dyson by left fielder Jayson Werth, whose error led to the first run of the game. Werth entered the game with an average of .159.
Marlins first baseman Justin Bour, a left-handed hitter, hit an opposite field homer on a 3-2 count to lead off the top of the seventh to give the Marlins a 2-1 lead against Washington starter Jordan Zimmermann.
It was the second career homer for Bour, with the first coming against Washington on Sept. 19, 2014, in Miami against Doug Fister. Washington native Bour was called up from Triple-A New Orleans on April 24.
Zimmermann retired 14 of 15 batters through the sixth inning before he gave up the homer to Bour. Zimmermann gave up two runs (one earned) and six hits in seven innings.
Bour has seven hits in his first 12 big league at-bats this season. Marlins starter David Phelps yielded six hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings.
Washington center fielder Denard Span had two hits.
Washington tied the game at 1-1 in the first on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Ryan Zimmerman. His fly to right scored third baseman Yunel Escobar, who had singled with one out against starter David Phelps.
Jordan Zimmermann, in his last start in Washington against the Marlins, threw the first no-hitter in franchise history on the last day of regular-season play in 2014. Left fielder Stephen Souza Jr., now with Tampa Bay, made a diving catch in left-center for the final out of the game on a ball off the bat of Christian Yelich — who is now on the disabled list.
There was no suspense Monday as third baseman Martin Prado, the second hitter of the game, laced a clean single to right-center off.
Bour got the start over Michael Morse, who hit .193 in his first 88 at-bats this season.
NOTES: In 1998-99, Marlins manager Mike Redmond was a Marlins teammate of Craig Counsell, who was named the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday after Ron Roenicke was let go. “Welcome to the hot seat,” Redmond said with a grin before Monday’s game in Washington. Redmond, a former catcher, sent Counsell a text of congratulations. … The scheduled pitchers for Tuesday are Washington RHP Stephen Strasburg (2-2, 4.60) and Miami RHP Mat Latos (0-3, 6.86). Strasburg has held the Marlins to one run or less in 12 of his 20 starts against them. … Marlins 2B Dee Gordon, who got the day off Sunday, was back in the starting lineup as the leadoff hitter and second baseman on Monday. He entered play with the top batting average in the league, at .440. … Washington INF Anthony Rendon was slated to see a doctor Monday after he was scratched from minor league rehab games with Double-A Harrisburg at Bowie, Md., on Saturday and Sunday. Rendon, who played five innings Friday for Harrisburg, has been on the disabled list since April 5 with a left knee sprain but is dealing with a “side issue,” according to manager Matt Williams. “We are being cautious with it,” Williams said. Last year, Rendon hit .287 with 39 doubles and 21 homers.
