WASHINGTON – Anibal Sanchez shut down Washington once again, allowing just three hits in eight innings, and Mike Stanton hit a long home run Saturday to lead the Florida Marlins over the Nationals 1-0.
Stanton's seventh homer of the season came in the seventh. The Marlins held on to win their eighth straight game at Washington.
Marlins closer Leo Nunez gave up a walk and a single to start the ninth, then escaped the first-and-second jam for his 14th save in 14 chances.
Sanchez (3-1) struck out nine and walked two. He improved to 7-0 lifetime against the Nationals with a 1.99 ERA.
Last week in his previous start, Sanchez held the Nationals hitless until the seventh inning and struck out a career-high 11. He dominated them this time, too, allowing only Laynce Nix's second-inning single, Jayson Werth's double in the seventh and Roger Bernadina's single in the eighth.
After Nix's single, Sanchez (3-1) retired the next 14 batters before walking Bernadina with two outs in the sixth. Werth doubled to lead off the seventh — he had just two hits and struck out 19 times in his first 24 at-bats against Sanchez.
Nunez walked Werth and gave up a single to Nix before pitching out of trouble.
Livan Hernandez (3-5) matched Sanchez for six innings, allowing three hits. Logan Morrison singled with one out in the seventh, but was thrown out trying to steal.
Stanton followed with his home run to center field, a drive that landed on a concourse in front of a bar.
Hernandez gave up six hits in seven innings in his third straight loss.
NOTES: Hernandez has now thrown 3,003 2-3 innings in his career. ... RHP Cole Kimball, recalled earlier on Saturday by Washington from Triple-A Syracuse, pitched a scoreless ninth in his major league debut. The Nationals designated RHP Brian Broderick for assignment. Broderick was obtained in the Rule 5 draft from St. Louis in December and was 0-1 with a 6.57 ERA in 11 appearances. He was the losing pitcher in Friday's 6-5, 11-inning loss to Florida. Kimball made 12 appearances for Syracuse, and didn't allow a run in 13 2-3 innings. ... Washington SS Ian Desmond did not start because of a sore left quadriceps muscle. ... Marlins RHP Javier Vazquez, who returned from three days on the bereavement list on Friday, is set to start Sunday, manager Edwin Rodriguez said. ... Morrison extended his hitting streak to 12 games. ... Nationals C Wilson Ramos threw out Morrison and Hanley Ramirez on steal attempts. Ramos has nabbed seven of 14 would-be basestealers this season. ... Washington equaled a franchise-high by playing its ninth straight errorless game.
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