Agustín Ramírez Powers Miami Marlins to Victory with Two Home Runs

Rookie sensation Agustín Ramírez showcased his power on Friday night, launching two home runs to propel the Miami Marlins to an 11-9 victory against the Washington Nationals. The game, which was marred by a rain delay lasting over two hours, marked the Nationals' sixth consecutive loss.

Ramírez opened the scoring with a solo home run off Nationals starter Mitchell Parker in the first inning, giving Miami an early 1-0 advantage. He then added his second homer of the night, a leadoff shot in the third inning, as part of a four-run rally that extended the Marlins' lead to 6-0.

This performance marked Ramírez's second multi-homer game of the season; he previously hit two solo shots in a narrow 7-6 defeat against Seattle on April 27. Eric Wagaman contributed significantly as well, driving in three runs, including an RBI double that helped Miami build their commanding lead. Dane Myers also played a key role with a two-run double during the same inning.

Despite the early deficit, the Nationals fought back. CJ Abrams reached base with an infield hit, setting the stage for James Wood, who belted his 17th home run of the season, narrowing the gap to 6-2 after three innings.

After a lengthy rain delay of 2 hours and 14 minutes, Miami resumed play with Fortes and Xavier Edwards each contributing RBI singles in the fifth inning, pushing the score to 8-2.

Washington responded fiercely in the seventh inning. Wood hit a two-run double, followed by RBI singles from Nathaniel Lowe, Alex Call, and Keibert Ruiz, allowing the Nationals to close in at 8-7.

However, Miami quickly countered in the eighth inning with Wagaman's two-run single and Connor Norby's RBI groundout, extending their lead once more.

On the mound for Miami, Edwin Cabrera allowed two runs over three innings before Tyler Phillips (1-0) secured the win by recording two outs. Parker struggled for Washington, giving up six runs and eight hits in just 3 1/3 innings. Jackson Rutledge managed to get the final two outs of the fourth before another rain delay but allowed two runs afterward. Jose A. Ferrer faced difficulties as well, surrendering three runs on four hits in one inning.

This victory marks Miami's third win in four matchups against Washington this season. Calvin Faucher closed out the game by allowing a single but secured his sixth save in nine opportunities with groundouts from Robert Hassell III and Abrams.

Despite their recent success, Miami's run differential remains concerning at minus-91, the second worst in the National League, while Washington sits at minus-60. As for Saturday's matchup, Miami has yet to announce their starting pitcher against Washington's right-hander Trevor Williams (3-7, 5.91).