WASHINGTON -AP- Jayson Werth scrambled home to score on Jose Lobaton's sacrifice fly in the 10th inning and Washington Nationals clung to their faint playoff hopes with a 5-4 win over the Miami Marlins on Friday night.
Clint Robinson homered, singled and was intentionally walked twice for the Nationals, who remained eight games behind the NL East-leading New York Mets with 15 remaining.
The Marlins tied it in the ninth against Jonathan Papelbon, but lost for just the fifth time in 17 games.
Werth hit a leadoff double in the 10th against Brian Ellington (0-1) and Robinson drew an intentional walk.
 
Lobaton's sacrifice fly in 10th lifts Nationals over Marlins
 
Werth reached third on a passed ball and had to stay there when Ian Desmond chopped a ball back to Ellington.
After another intentional walk, Lobaton hit a pop fly to shallow left. Christian Yelich's throw home was in time, but catcher J.T. Realmuto couldn't corral it, and Werth reached back to touch the plate following a headfirst slide.
Casey Janssen (2-5) pitched for the final two outs of top of the 10th. The inning ended when Lobaton threw out Yelich trying to steal second.
Yelich homered earlier for Miami.
Papelbon blew a save chance for the second time this year, allowing an unearned run on Dee Gordon's sacrifice fly after Miguel Rojas doubled and reached third on right fielder Bryce Harper's overthrow.
Marlins starter Jose Fernandez allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings in his second start since returning from a biceps strain. Sixteen months removed from Tommy John surgery, he hit 100 mph with a fastball in the first inning.
Max Scherzer yielded two runs in seven innings five days after going eight scoreless against the Marlins in Miami.
 

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