Brady House smacked a three-run homer, Jackson Kent pitched seven innings of one-run ball to earn his first major league win and the Washington Nationals beat the visiting Miami Marlins 9-2 on Friday.
Harry Ford also homered and Abimelec Ortiz had two hits for the Nationals, who have won consecutive games for the first time since a three-game run Aug. 7-9.
Kent (1-2), making his fourth start, gave up three hits, walked four and struck out three while throwing 106 pitches. The 23-year-old left-hander had allowed 11 runs over 12 1/3 innings in his first three appearances.
Heriberto Hernandez homered for the Marlins, who had won eight straight games vs. the Nationals. Miami has lost three of four overall since sweeping Washington in a three-game set last weekend.
Eury Perez (7-10) gave up five runs on two hits and four walks over three innings. He fanned five.
Washington trailed 1-0 when Andres Chaparro, Jacob Young and CJ Abrams walked to start the third inning. Ortiz and Dylan Crews struck out, but Perez threw a wild pitch and catcher Joe Mack made a throwing error on the play as both Chaparro and Young scored. After Daylen Lile walked, House launched a 445-foot rocket to left center and the Nationals led 5-1.
Ford homered leading off the seventh to make it 6-1. Chaparro walked and, with two outs, Ortiz singled to right. Crews doubled down the left field line and both runners scored. Lile made it 9-1 when he tripled to center field.
Hernandez led off the eighth with his 21st homer of the season, a shot to center off Max Kranick for the 9-2 final.
Miami took a 1-0 lead in the second when Javier Sanoja doubled and scored on a single by Xavier Edwards. With Edwards on third and one out, Leo Jimenez grounded to first, and Ortiz threw Edwards out at the plate.
