MIAMI (Interstat) — Christopher Morel singled to center field with one out in the eighth inning to break a 2-2 tie and lift the Miami Marlins to a 5-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Sunday afternoon at loanDepot Park.

Morel’s hit off Washington reliever Gus Varland (0-1) scored pinch runner Esteury Ruiz, who had entered after Kyle Stowers walked to lead off the inning. Jakob Marsee then walked, and both runners advanced on a double steal. Heriberto Hernández followed with a two-run single to left that scored Morel and Marsee, pushing the Marlins’ lead to 5-2. Marsee’s stolen base, his second of the inning and 12th of the season, tied him for fifth in the major leagues.

Washington had taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning when James Wood doubled to left and later scored on a fielder’s choice, though the Nationals could not capitalize further. Miami answered in the bottom of the third. Joe Mack walked, and after a flyout, Xavier Edwards singled. Liam Hicks singled to right to score Mack, and Otto Lopez reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Edwards when shortstop Nasim Nuñez made a fielding error. The inning ended with a double play, but the game was tied 2-2.

The Nationals regained a brief lead in the fourth when Luis García Jr. tripled and scored on a groundout by Brady House, tying the game again at 2-2. Washington added a run in the fifth on a double by García that drove in Jorbit Vivas, but the lead was short-lived as Miami tied it in the bottom of the third.

Both starting pitchers turned in solid outings. Miami’s Sandy Alcantara pitched six innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs with three strikeouts. Washington’s Cade Cavalli went 5 2/3 innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs while striking out four. Alcantara rebounded from a rough start on May 5 against Baltimore, when he allowed seven earned runs in 4 1/3 innings.

The game remained deadlocked until the eighth, when Miami broke through. Calvin Faucher (4-2) pitched two scoreless innings of relief, allowing no hits and striking out none, to earn the win. Josh Ekness recorded his first save of the season, retiring the final batter in the ninth on a lineout.

Washington’s offense managed only six hits. García led the Nationals with two hits, including a double and a triple, and drove in their only run. James Wood also doubled and scored. For Miami, Hernández collected two hits and two RBIs, while Morel drove in the go-ahead run.

The Nationals fell to 19-22, while the Marlins improved to 19-22. The attendance was 11,848, and the game lasted 2 hours, 56 minutes.

The series finale featured a matchup between a pair of teams with identical records and a recent history of close games. Washington had won the opener of the three-game set 3-2 on Friday, and Miami won Saturday’s contest 8-7. The Marlins now have 48 stolen bases, leading the major leagues.

In the eighth, Miami’s rally began when Kyle Stowers walked. Jakob Marsee also walked, and both runners moved up on a double steal. Morel’s single to center brought in Ruiz, and after another double steal, Hernández’s single to left scored both runners. The Marlins added three runs in the inning, all unearned in the sense that they came after the first walk.

Washington’s bullpen had been effective until the eighth. Relievers Orlando Ribalta, Paxton Schultz, and PJ Poulin combined for two scoreless innings before Varland entered. Andrew Nardi pitched two-thirds of an inning for Miami, allowing one hit and striking out two.

The game featured strong defensive plays, including a double play turned by Washington in the third to escape further damage. Miami’s defense also contributed, with second baseman Xavier Edwards turning a double play in the seventh.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Washington 5, Miami 3, while Interstat’s ELO system gave Miami a 57.60 percent probability of winning. Miami was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 7 went under the over/under line of 8.5.