For Washington, this stretch of the summer is about finding pieces to build around. For Miami, every result still carries weight — a crowded NL wild-card field means an ugly, close win like this one matters more than the standings alone would suggest.
The Marlins jumped early and never really let go, plating two in the first and adding single runs in the second and fourth. Washington's only flashes of life came in the fourth and fifth innings before the bats went quiet again. Pérez did what he's done most of the summer — work around trouble and keep the line moving without letting it snowball.
Seven hits and an error kept Miami's line messier than the scoreboard let on, but 4 runs was plenty against a Nationals lineup missing its shortstop and most of its rotation. It's the same story that's followed these two clubs for most of August — Miami finds enough offense to win close, and Washington leaves feeling like the gap was smaller than the final score says.