Bryan De La Cruz hit a two-run homer off the foul pole in the 10th inning as the Miami Marlins continued their dominance over the Washington Nationals, winning 3-2 on Monday.
The Marlins won the rare duel that began at 11:05 in the morning. They beat the Nationals for the 12th time in 13 games this season, including seven straight. They also extended their winning streak to five and came within two games of .500 percentage, almost at the halfway point of the season.
De la Cruz became the latest Marlins player to provide a key hit in this streak, after countryman Jesus Sanchez hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the ninth on Sunday.
His fifth homer of the season came off Tanner Rainey (1-3), who also gave up Sanchez’s drive to right field less than 24 hours earlier.
For the Marlins, the Venezuelans Miguel Rojas 4-2 with a run scored; Jesús Aguilar 5-2 with an RBI; and Avisail Garcia 1-1. The Dominicans De la Cruz 5-1 with one run scored and two RBIs; and Jesus Sanchez 4-1.
For the Nationals, the Dominicans Nelson Cruz 4-1; Maikel Franco 4-1 with a run scored; and Victor Robles 2-1. Cuban Yadiel Hernández 4-0. The Venezuelans Ehire Adrianza 3-1 with a run scored; Keibert Ruiz 2-2; and Cesar Hernandez 1-0.