The eighth inning changed everything. Miami trailed 4-3 entering the frame, then exploded for four runs to seize control and defeat Washington 8-7 at loanDepot park.
Kyle Stowers led the offensive charge, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. The outfielder's two-run homer in the fourth inning started Miami's comeback from an early 4-0 deficit. Jakob Marsee delivered the decisive blow with a three-run homer in the eighth, going 1-for-3 with three RBIs on the night.
Washington struck early behind James Wood's leadoff homer in the first inning, a 442-foot blast to right center. Cal Abrams followed with a two-run single later in the frame, then Daylen Lile added a sacrifice fly in the third to build the 4-0 advantage. But Miami answered with Stowers' two-run shot in the fourth, then Owen Caissie's sacrifice fly in the sixth. Xavier Edwards tied the game 4-4 with a solo homer in the seventh before the eighth-inning eruption put the game away.
Mitchell Parker absorbed the loss for Washington, allowing five runs on five hits in just one inning of relief work. His ERA stands at 5.82. Janson Junk kept Miami in the game with six innings of four-run ball, striking out six while allowing seven hits. Andrew Nardi earned the win with a scoreless seventh inning.
Miami snapped a one-game losing streak to improve to 17-22. Washington's three-game winning streak ended as they fell to 19-20.