Soto subdues Marlins

Nats’ slugger takes NL batting lead with homer, double to carry night

Juan Soto took over the NL batting lead, getting three hits and three RBIs to help the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 7-5 Wednesday night.

Soto singled, doubled and hit his 27th homer, raising his average to .321 and passing former teammate Trea Turner of the Dodgers, who began the night at .318. Soto walked twice and with 130 tied Bryce Harper’s team season record, set in 2018.

Soto has reached safely 49 times, second-most since 1901 ahead of a player’s 23rd birthday behind Ted Williams’ 54.

Josiah Gray (1-2), a 23-year-old rookie right-hander acquired from the Dodgers for Max Scherzer and Turner on July 30, got his first big league win. He allowed two runs and six hits in six inning with eight strikeouts and two walks.

He nearly got his second big league hit when he lined the ball into right field in the sixth only for right fielder Jesús Sánchez to grab the ball on one bounce and throw him out at first.

Yadiel Hernández and Luis García also went deep for the Nationals, who won the season series 11-8. Washington remains last in the NL East, just behind Miami. At 63-89, the Nationals are nearing their poorest record since 2010’s 69-93.

Elieser Hernández (1-3) gave up four runs and seven hits in four-plus innings.

Yadiel Hernández homered leading off the second, Soto hit a two-run homer in the third — a drive into the right field upper deck — and García made it 4-0 with a leadoff homer in the fourth.

Miami closed to 4-2 on Lewin Díaz’s run-scoring single in the bottom half and Sánchez’s RBI single in the sixth, but Washington widened its lead in the seventh on Soto’s run-scoring single, Josh Bell’s sacrifice fly and Hernández’s RBI double against Zach Thompson.