Marlins beat Nationals, who lose Soto to apparent injury

Photo: The Canadian Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Brian Anderson hit a go-ahead infield single in the 10th inning that sent the Miami Marlins a 7-4 victory Sunday at the Washington Nationals, who lost star outfielder Juan Soto to an apparent left leg injury.

The Marlins have won four in a row to move three games shy of .500. They’ve won 11 of 12 against the Nationals and can start dreaming about making a run at an NL wild-card spot despite being 26-39 against everyone else.

“Winning games is a lot of fun, and we know right now in July it’s kind of crunch time,” reliever Anthony Bass said before the game. “We want to put the pressure on the front office to let them know that we want to make a run here.”

Soto flexed and pointed to his left leg after making a throw in right field in the third and was taken out after being involved in a rundown in the fourth The team did not announce any specifics on Soto before the game ended. Soto had his hitting streak snapped at eight games after getting walked twice.

Miami was one strike from having its winning streak end. After Avisaíl García drew a two-out walk in the ninth, Jesús Sánchez homered to right on a 2-2 pitch from closer Tanner Rainey.

Boos rained down from the holiday weekend crowd of 25,385 that was quieted earlier by six no-hit innings from Pablo López before the Nationals finally cracked the Marlins starter.

Washington tied the score in the seventh on an RBI single by Nelson Cruz that drove in Josh Bell and a sacrifice fly by Ehire Adrianza after López was pulled for Bass. Bell put the Nationals ahead with a no-doubt home run to left in the eighth that came with a celebratory bat flip, but that joy was short-lived thanks to Sánchez’s 11th home run this the season.

The Nationals rallied to tie it in the ninth on an RBI single by No. 9 hitter Victor Robles, but the Marlins knocked around Carl Edwards Jr. in the 10th. Jacob Stallings singled to move automatic runner Bryan De La Cruz to third, and Anderson’s sharp liner off the glove of second baseman César Hernández drove in the first of three Marlins runs off Edwards (2-3).

Tanner Scott (4-2) got the win, and Dylan Floro pitched a scoreless 10th for his first save this season.

BERTI CAUGHT STEALING

Marlins second baseman Jon Berti was thrown out by Keibert Ruiz in the third, keeping him from adding to his major league-leading total of 25 steals this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: INF Joey Wendle was back in the lineup at shortstop as part of the team’s day on, day off plan to ease him back from a right hamstring strain. Wendle was activated off the injured list and returned Friday after missing the previous month.

Nationals: RHP Aníbal Sánchez, who has been on the 60-day injured list with a pinched nerve in his neck since April, was set to throw roughly 60 pitches over four innings or so Sunday night for Triple-A Rochester. ... Manager Dave Martinez said RHP Victor Arano (inflamed left knee) is close to returning after throwing a bullpen session and going through some agility drills, with a trip to the team’s minor league facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, up next before a rehab assignment. ... LHP Evan Lee (left arm) is also expected to start a throwing program in Florida, Martinez said.

UP NEXT

LHP Braxton Garrett (1-3, 5.24 ERA) starts for the Marlins against LHP Patrick Corbin (4-10, 6.06) in the annual 11 a.m. Fourth of July game in Washington.