Koehler, Marlins blank Nationals
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Miami, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Tom Koehler tossed 7 1/3 scoreless innings and outdueled Stephen Strasburg to guide the Miami Marlins to an 8-0 win over the Washington Nationals on Saturday.
Koehler (2-2) gave up six hits and a walk while striking out four for Miami, which has taken the first two games of this three-game series.
"We had a rough stretch where we all kind of struggled, but I think everyone is getting their footing and we're hoping for more performances like this going forward," said Koehler.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Giancarlo Stanton clubbed a solo home run among his three hits, Adeiny Hechavarria added a three-run shot to extend his hit streak to eight games and Justin Bour had a pair of RBI singles in his season debut.
Strasburg (1-2), who entered Saturday's game with a 14-inning scoreless streak against the Marlins, was charged with four runs on eight hits over six innings of work.
Yunel Escobar, Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos all had two hits in Washington's fourth consecutive defeat.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Definitely wasn't our day today," said Werth. "The intent is there. We come in every day ready to go. It just needs to turn for us."
It was 0-0 through 3 1/2 innings when the Marlins got to Strasburg in their second time through the lineup.
Martin Prado and Stanton smacked consecutive doubles to open the scoring. Stanton moved to third on Marcell Ozuna's line out to right, and Bour drove him in with a single.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ichiro Suzuki singled later in the frame to load the bases with one out, but Strasburg avoided further damage by inducing a double-play grounder off the bat of Hechavarria.
Strasburg struck out the side in the fifth, but Miami added two more runs an inning later.
Stanton drew a walk, Ozuna singled and Bour added to his terrific debut with an RBI single to center. J.T. Realmuto then grounded into a double-play, but Ozuna scored on the play to make it 4-0.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Koehler was lifted in the eighth with one away and a man on first. Bryan Morris came on and struck out Ian Desmond and Bryce Harper around a Werth single to get out of trouble.
Stanton and Hechavarria punctuated the win with homers in the home eighth off Rafael Martin.
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Harper walked for the 10th straight game ... Stanton has 23 career home runs against the Nationals ... Miami went 5-for-8 with runners in scoring position.