Rally falls short vs. Scherzer in G1 of DH

From the first inning, when Jesús Aguilar ripped a line drive that deflected off Max Scherzer’s throwing shoulder and turned into an out, the Marlins made the day uncomfortable for the three-time Cy Young Award winner.

Yet, it wasn’t until Magneuris Sierra's one-out double off the right-center wall in the fifth that Miami was able to break through against Scherzer. The extra-base hit sparked a four-run inning, which featured Matt Joyce's two-run homer, but the Marlins weren’t able to complete the comeback and fell, 5-4, in Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader at Nationals Park.

• Box score

Sierra set in motion a big fifth inning for the Marlins, who batted around, as Scherzer was unable to record the third out. After Scherzer walked Jesús Sánchez, Miami’s No. 5 prospect, with the bases loaded, Kyle Finnegan froze Jorge Alfaro with a 95.7 mph sinker for strike three.

Sánchez's bases-loaded walk was the rookie’s first big league RBI.

Overall, the Marlins made Scherzer, who threw 108 pitches, work. He allowed four runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

It started in the first inning, when Aguilar smoked a liner off Scherzer’s right shoulder. Statcast had the exit speed at 98.9 mph. But the ball deflected to second baseman Josh Harrison, who went to first for the third out.

With Miami trailing 2-0 in the third, Aguilar worked a 10-pitch at-bat with two on against Scherzer. He had two long foul balls to left, but he struck out on an elevated 96.6 mph fastball.

In the fifth inning, Sierra sparked the rally with his one-out double to right-center, which had a 98.6 mph exit velocity. Joyce’s homer was projected at 404 feet.

Daniel Castano, making his third big league start, was lifted after just one out and 23 pitches.

Not wanting to let the game get out of hand early, manager Don Mattingly turned the ball over to right-hander Josh A. Smith, who kept the game close. But two Marlins errors in a two-run fourth proved to be the difference.