Miami Marlins (77-83) at Washington Nationals (94-66), 4:05 p.m. (ET)
(SportsNetwork.com) - With a National League East title and now the top seed wrapped up, the Washington Nationals can breathe a sigh of relief when they resume a four-game series with the Miami Marlins Saturday.
The Nationals split a doubleheader with the Marlins on Friday and took the first game by a 4-0 score thanks to Doug Fister's three-hit shutout. Fister struck out nine and didn't walk a batter.
"He was in command all day," Washington manager Matt Williams said of Fister. "Once he got through the eighth, the idea was to let him finish the game. He pitched really well."
Anthony Rendon homered and Adam LaRoche finished 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Washington dropped the nightcap by a 15-7 score, as the Marlins pounded out 22 hits and Nationals starting pitcher Taylor Hill was tagged for seven runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Tyler Moore and Steven Souza Jr, hit a home run apiece for the Nationals, who had won 11 of their previous 13 games. Jayson Werth scored twice, brought in a run and finished a homer shy of the cycle.
"His timing was good tonight. He was right on the balls," Williams said of Werth.
The Nationals will hand the ball to Stephen Strasburg Saturday and the right- hander is 13-11 with a 3.23 earned run average. Strasburg has won two straight trips to the hill and is 5-1 in his last six decisions, including a 2-1 win over Miami last Sunday in which he threw seven scoreless innings.
Strasburg has fired seven shutout innings in back-to-back appearances and is 8-5 with a 3.66 ERA in 18 career starts against the Marlins. In 17 starts at Nationals Park this season, Strasburg is 8-3 with a 2.70 ERA.
Miami has rotated results over the past six games. After failing to solve Fister and the Nats in the opener of the twinbill, the Marlins exploded under the lights.
Enrique Hernandez hit a grand slam, J.T. Realmuto had three hits and four RBI, Adeiny Hechavarria collected four hits and Justin Bour ended 3-for-4 with four runs scored for the Marlins.
"Our offense got on a roll tonight," said Realmuto. "It's always nice to get a win in the back end of a doubleheader."
A.J. Ramos picked up the win in relief and starter Andrew Heaney, who surrendered four runs and six hits in four innings.
The win snapped a six-game slide to Washington.
Nathan Eovaldi will make his final start of the season for the Marlins and is 6-13 with a 4.44 earned run average. Eovaldi hasn't won since Aug. 8 at Cincinnati, going 0-7 with a 6.05 ERA in his last eight appearances -- all Miami setbacks. He pitched well in a 2-1 defeat to Washington last Sunday and permitted both runs over six innings.
Eovaldi is 2-3 with a 5.23 ERA in six career starts against the Nationals and 3-7 in 15 road assignments this season.
The Nationals swept a four-game set in Miami last weekend.