Lopez's homer caps wild six-run ninth as Marlins rally past Nats

WASHINGTON -- The Marlins have made the Nationals throw strikes all series. On Sunday afternoon, that finally paid off in a six-run ninth-inning rally and a 6-2 victory at Nationals Park.

After Esteury Ruiz’s bunt single, two walks and a hit batter, Joe Mack hit a tying sacrifice fly, then Miami scored the go-ahead run when center fielder Andrew Pinckney’s throw sailed into the Marlins’ dugout.

Jakob Marsee swiped home on a double steal and Otto Lopez crushed a two-run shot to left -- his 10th homer of the season -- to complete the rally that pulled the Marlins (69-68) within 3 1/2 games of the Padres (72-64) and Diamondbacks (73-65) for the final National League Wild Card. San Diego is playing at Tampa Bay on Sunday, while Arizona is idle.

Dax Fulton allowed one run in the eighth but earned his first MLB victory, while Michael Peterson worked the ninth.

Lopez’s round-tripper was only the fourth hit of the third game of a wraparound series that began with a pair of frustrating defeats for a Marlins team trying to stay in contention.

But those difficulties haven’t eroded their patience against this uneven Nats staff, drawing at least five walks in all three of those contests.

Miami also stole three bags total in the decisive ninth inning to narrow its gap on Washington for the MLB lead in stolen bases.