MIAMI — The Marlins completed a three-game sweep of Washington with an aggressive bullpen strategy that manager Clayton McCullough said reflects the urgency of a club sitting four games behind San Diego (71-60) for the final National League Wild Card spot.
Miami (67-64) has won eight straight against the Nationals — only the second time this season a Major League club has strung together that kind of dominant stretch against a single opponent. The Marlins’ 7.6 percent postseason probability leaves almost no margin for error, and McCullough managed accordingly.
“This was certainly a very important series with where we are in the calendar, and being at home and having a chance to do that today,” said McCullough, whose club guaranteed a winning record at home.
Right-hander Janson Junk had allowed just one run through 4 2/3 innings on 69 pitches before McCullough pulled him for reliever Michael Petersen with two runners on base and the game tied at 1. Petersen loaded the bases with a walk, then struck out Abimelec Ortiz on a slider to end the threat. Xavier Edwards broke the tie with a two-out single in the bottom of the inning.
“We know how important every win is going to be here down the stretch,” McCullough said. “It’s not a lack of confidence in others, but it’s also as much as every day we play a game, we have one less, and every win here is going to be important. So I think the aggressiveness, as you said, will be here down the stretch.”
Junk, who would not qualify for the win, accepted the early hook. “If the bullpen can do it that day, then I’m totally fine with that,” Junk said. “Obviously, I would like to finish that out, kind of what I started, just because I felt like I was in a good position. I was still feeling good, but overall, I trust the bullpen to come in there any moment and get us out of those situations. In the moment, I would be more frustrated about myself.”
Righty Calvin Faucher, who hadn’t surrendered a run in August across 7 2/3 innings, allowed Washington to trim the deficit to 3-2 in the sixth but still achieved something he hadn’t done all season — pitching on three consecutive days. Miami answered with Joe Mack’s pinch-hit RBI double and Otto Lopez’s sacrifice fly to push the lead to 5-2. Mack added a run-scoring fielder’s choice in the eighth.
Jack Ralston, recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville, tossed a scoreless seventh and eighth in his Major League debut. Closer Pete Fairbanks worked around trouble for a scoreless ninth in a non-save situation, with righty Tyler Zuber warming up behind him.
“There is a sense of urgency, and there’s a little bit of a message, but it’s something we’ve been doing all season,” Petersen said. “If this helps us push to that next level, then we’re going to do it. You can even add [Tyler Phillips]. He’s been going up, helping us out. If we need a guy, he’s down there helping us. We want to help. That’s the whole thing. Make it to the playoffs. Do something fun. Like, why not?”
The Marlins continue their homestand with a new series at loanDepot park as the club tries to close the four-game gap on San Diego with roughly a month remaining in the regular season.