20-year-old Eury Perez gets first MLB win, Marlins top Nationals 5-3 for series sweep

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Eury Perez aims a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, May 18, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

MIAMI (AP) — Eury Perez pitched five solid innings for his first major league win, Bryan De La Cruz extended his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games, and the Miami Marlins swept the Washington Nationals with a 5-3 win Thursday afternoon.

The victory stretched the Marlins’ winning streak to four games. With the New York Mets struggling, Miami (23-21) is second in the NL East behind Atlanta (27-16). Although it’s early, it’s a welcomed sign for a team that has had one winning season — the pandemic-shortened 2020 season — in 14 years.

Perez made his MLB debut last Friday at 20 years and 27 days, becoming the youngest pitcher in team history. He allowed three hits, walked one and struck out six on Thursday. His fastball reached 98.3 mph.

Perez is on an inning and pitch limit and was replaced by Matt Barnes in the sixth.

Jeimer Candelario tagged Perez (1-0) in the fourth with a solo shot that went 443 feet to center for his fifth home run of the season.

Trailing 4-1 in the eighth, Washington used four straight hits against reliever Huascar Brazoban to cut the deficit to a run. Candelario drove in Luis Garcia with a double to right before Corey Dickerson’s one-out RBI single in the next at-bat.

Brazoban got Keibert Ruiz to ground into a double play to end the threat, and Nick Fortes gave Miami a two-run cushion in the bottom half with a two-out RBI single. Dylan Floro pitched a scoreless ninth for his fourth save of the season.

De La Cruz gave the Marlins a 1-0 lead with a solo homer off starter Trevor Williams (1-2) in the second. Jean Segura made it 2-0 with an RBI single in the third.

Segura has reached safely in each of the past six games.

Xavier Edwards’ line drive two-out RBI single in the fourth pushed Miami’s lead to 3-1 after Candelario put the Nationals on the board.

Candelario has 11 hits in his past 15 plate appearances.

Williams allowed five hits, three runs, walked one and struck out five before reliever Mason Thompson replaced him in the seventh and gave up an RBI single to Garrett Cooper to make it 4-1.

UP NEXT

Nationals: RHP Jake Irvin (1-1, 4.11) will start the series opener vs Detroit on Friday.

Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcantara (1-4, 4.91) will start the series opener at San Francisco on Friday.

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