Marlins catch fire at the plate in dominant 9-3 win over Nationals

MIAMI (AP) — Curtis Granderson homered and the Miami Marlins busted out at the plate after changing hitting coaches, roughing up ace Max Scherzer in beating the Washington Nationals 9-3 on Saturday night to win a series for the first time this season.

Brian Anderson doubled twice and the Marlins finished with 11 hits in their first game under new batting coach Jeff Livesey. He was promoted when the team fired Mike Pagliarulo after Friday night’s 3-2 victory.

Nationals slugger Anthony Rendon exited after being hit by a pitch on the left elbow in the third inning. Rendon went 0 for 1, ending his 17-game hitting streak.

Miguel Rojas and Starlin Castro each had two hits for the Marlins, who can sweep the three-game series Sunday.

Granderson’s solo shot off Scherzer (1-3) in the fifth snapped a 3-all tie. Granderson, who entered the game hitting .137, drove a fastball to right-center for his third home run of the season.

Jose Urena (1-3) allowed three runs and eight hits in six innings with four strikeouts and one walk. Three relievers combined to strike out seven over the final three innings for Miami.

Scherzer was removed in the sixth after pinch-hitter Rossell Herrera’s infield single scored Rojas from third. Scherzer rushed from the mound to field Herrera’s short grounder and made an errant throw home past catcher Yan Gomes, allowing Isaac Galloway to score from second.

Granderson’s sacrifice fly drove in Herrera from second base after center fielder Victor Robles crashed into the wall and fell as he made the catch.

Scherzer was tagged for a season-high seven runs — six earned — and 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings. The three-time Cy Young Award winner struck out nine and moved past Don Drysdale for 35th on the career strikeout list with 2,493.

Howie Kendrick replaced Rendon and hit an RBI single in the fifth that tied it at 3.

Miami struck early on Anderson’s RBI double and Castro’s run-scoring single in the first.

Matt Adams‘ two-run single in the third tied it before Miami regained the lead in the bottom half on Castro’s RBI single.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins OF Garrett Cooper (strained calf) will begin a rehabilitation assignment Sunday at Class A Jupiter. Cooper has been sidelined since March 31.

ROSTER MOVE

Before the game, the Marlins optioned outfielder Austin Dean to Triple-A New Orleans and recalled outfielder Jon Berti.

UP NEXT

Stephen Strasburg (1-1, 5.56 ERA) starts Sunday for Washington against Jose Urena (0-3, 6.53).