WASHINGTON (AP) Anthony Rendon hit his 20th homer and knocked in the go-ahead run to help the Washington Nationals finish off a three-game sweep of the last-place Miami Marlins with a 5-2 victory Thursday.
Washington has won eight of nine and 13 of 16 to climb to a season-best four games over .500.
Rendon was selected for the NL All-Star team for the first time in his seventh season, but is considering pulling out of festivities next week in Cleveland to nurse some bumps and bruises. At the plate and in the field with a few perfect throws from third base, Rendon looked no worse for the wear.
Kurt Suzuki homered in the second inning to extend the Montreal Expos/Nationals franchise record for consecutive games with a home run to 18. Rendon hit a solo shot in the fourth off Elieser Hernandez (1-3) and drove in Gerardo Parra with a single in the fifth.
Parra, the newcomer responsible for sparking the Nationals’ dugout home run celebrations, drove in two insurance runs with a double in the sixth, creating some important rest for Washington’s most-used relievers.
Javy Guerra escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth, and 42-year-old Fernando Rodney picked up his second save of the season.
Washington right-hander Anibal Sanchez (5-6) allowed one earned run and five hits in six innings. He hasn’t lost since returning from the injured list in late May.
RARE MARLINS DINGER
Miguel Rojas connected on Sanchez’s fifth pitch of the game, hitting his first homer of the season and No. 65 for Miami. The Marlins began the day last in the majors in home runs, six behind 29th-place Detroit.
Rojas hit 11 home runs last season.
SANCHEZ STAYS HOT
Before going on the IL in mid-May with a left hamstring strain, Sanchez was 0-6 with a 5.10 ERA. In seven starts since coming back May 29, he’s 5-0 with a 2.18 ERA.
”We talk about mixing his pitches, keeping guys off balance, but the key for him is he’s effective when the ball’s down,” manager Dave Martinez said.
HERNANDEZ FINDS TROUBLE
After recording four of his first six outs by strikeout, Hernandez ran into all sorts of problems: two hit batters, a wild pitch and enough mistakes and hard-hit balls to end his day at 99 pitches. Rendon’s RBI single in the fifth was enough for manager Don Mattingly to give Hernandez the hook in favor of reliever Jarlin Garcia.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: Mattingly said OF Brian Anderson (elbow contusion) remains sore. He grounded out as a pinch hitter in the ninth. … LHP Caleb Smith (left hip inflammation) is scheduled to come off the injured list and start Saturday. Smith has missed the last 25 games.
Nationals: RHP Max Scherzer is on the paternity list and is expected to make his start Saturday on Montreal Expos day.
UP NEXT
Marlins: RHP Jordan Yamamoto (3-0, 2.35 ERA) faces the Braves for the first time as Miami begins a three-game series in Atlanta on Friday night.
Nationals: RHP Austin Voth (0-0, 4.35 ERA) makes his third start of the season in Friday night’s series opener against RHP Brad Keller (4-9, 4.63 ERA) and the Kansas City Royals.
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