Whether it’s more about Washington Nationals’ hitters’ patience, or the Miami Marlins’ pitchers’ issues with command is a fair question, but either way, Nationals’ hitters did manage to take five bases-loaded walks between the second and third games of their matchup in Nationals Park.
On Tuesday night in the nation’s capital, Josh Bell, Jordy Mercer, and Lane Thomas all walked with the bases loaded in what ended up an 8-2 win.
Bell’s free pass came after Jesús Luzardo loaded them up with an intentional walk to Juan Soto. Steven Okert took over after the IBB to Soto, and threw three straight balls to Bell after getting up 1-2 on the Nats’ slugger, but Ryan Zimmerman grounded into an inning-ending DP in the next at bat, ending a rally that had produced two runs to put the Nats ahead, 4-1 in the fifth.