"It doesn't matter how many hits you give up. Anytime you win a game, flat out, it's a good win." -- Josh Johnson, Marlins starter.
THE RESULT: The Washington Nationals outhit the Florida Marlins Saturday night 11 to 4. Unfortunately, the team with the most hits doesn't get the win.
The Marlins converted an error, a walk and two base hits into two runs in the second inning and made those runs stand up, beating the Nats 2-0 before 23,005 in Sun Life Stadium in Miami.
The first two hitters in Washington's lineup, Nyjer Morgan and Roger Bernadina, did their jobs, going a combined 5-for-9, but The "Big Three" of Ryan Zimmerman, Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham went 2-for-12. Zimmerman stranded five runners; Dunn six and Willingham three.
Morgan and Bernadina both singled in the first inning, but were unceremoniously stranded.
Marlins starter Josh Johnson (W, 10-3, 1.62) went six innings, allowing seven hits -- but no walks -- and struck out seven for the win. Three relievers followed and while each gave up hits, none walked a batter or gave up a run.
Johnson improved to 7-0 in 14 games against the Nationals.
The lack of offensive production wasted another solid outing by veteran pitcher Livan Hernandez (L, 6-6, 3.27). The crafty right-hander went six innings, allowing just four hits and two walks, striking out six along the way. He gave up two runs -- just one earned.
Those runs came in the second inning. The first batter, Dan Uggla, reached on an error by shortstop Ian Desmond as he dropped a soft line drive. The error was Desmond's league-leading 22nd of the season. Jorge Cantu singled to right and Uggla moved up 90 feet.
Hernandez got Cody Ross to foul out to first for the first out of the inning, but then walked rookie Michael Stanton to load the bases. Catcher Ronnie Paulino then lined a single to center to drive in both runs.
The Nats closest opportunity to score was in the fourth. Uggla booted a grounder that should have allowed Desmond to reach and have runners at the corners with two outs. However, third base coach Pat Listach and the runner -- Adam Kennedy -- got their signals mixed and Kennedy tried to score from second on the play and was thrown out by several steps.
After the game, Kennedy told reporters that Listach initially signaled for him to go home, then switched to a stop sign. Either the sign was late, or Kennedy took his eyes off his base coach to find the play in the field -- regardless, the play went for naught.
"I was just reading my third-base coach," Kennedy said. "I realized what happened after I looked at Uggla, but I was halfway down the line."
THE GOOD: Roger Bernadina. He went 3-for-4 in the No. 2 spot in the order. Tyler Clippard had a good outing, throwing two perfect innings of relief.
THE BAD: Adam Dunn. Struck out three times with runners on base, stranding six.
THE UGLY: The baserunning gaffe that got Kennedy at the plate. Mistakes happen, but it's yet another out on the bases, and this team just isn't good enough to keep wasting outs on the base paths.
THE STATS: The Nats went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. They struck out 11 times and did not walk once in the game.
NEXT GAME: Sunday at 1:10 pm. Craig Stammen (2-3) faces Alex Sanabia (0-1).
NATS NOTES: Hernandez' single in the fifth inning was his 200th career base hit.
Scott Olsen made a rehab appearance for Single-A Hagerstown Saturday night. He went four innings and struck out four and hit a batter, but did not walk anyone. Nats News Network will have much more from Olsen's outing in the morning, including quotes from Olsen and pictures.
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