MIAMI (Interstat) — Javier Sanoja singled with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, scoring Agustin Ramirez from third base, and the Miami Marlins rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night at loanDepot Park.

Pete Fairbanks earned the win despite allowing the tying run in the top of the ninth, and Clayton Beeter took the loss after Miami pushed across the decisive run against him in the bottom half. The Marlins improved to 65-64, while the Nationals fell to 61-69.

The game was a pitchers’ duel through the early innings, with neither team able to break through until Keibert Ruiz gave Washington a 1-0 lead in the sixth. Ruiz homered to right field, his eighth of the season, off Miami starter Ryan Gusto. The Nationals had threatened earlier, putting runners on base in the first, second, fourth and fifth innings, but Gusto and the Miami defense repeatedly wiggled out of trouble.

Gusto worked four innings, allowing five hits and striking out two while keeping Washington off the scoreboard. He was lifted after the fourth, and Cade Gibson followed with 1 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out two. Josh Ekness and Calvin Faucher each added scoreless relief, with Faucher recording the final two outs of the eighth.

Washington’s starter, Brad Lord, was sharp in a short outing, tossing 2 2/3 hitless innings with one strikeout. Will Dion then took over and delivered three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out four. Orlando Ribalta added 1 1/3 hitless innings with two strikeouts, keeping Miami without a run into the late stages.

The Marlins finally broke through in the eighth. Jakob Marsee tripled to right field with one out, and Sanoja followed with a single to right that scored Marsee and tied the game at 1. After Griffin Conine struck out and Xavier Edwards grounded out, Otto Lopez singled to right to bring home Sanoja, giving Miami a 2-1 lead.

Washington answered in the top of the ninth against Fairbanks. Jacob Young walked with one out, and Daylen Lile singled to left field, scoring Young and tying the game at 2. Lile advanced to second on the throw, but Jorbit Vivas flied out to shortstop to end the inning.

The Marlins wasted no time in the bottom of the ninth. Ramirez drew a leadoff walk against Beeter. Esteury Ruiz then laid down a soft bunt toward the pitcher, reaching base on the play while Ramirez moved to third. Beeter threw wildly on the bunt, allowing Ruiz to advance to second on the error. Beeter intentionally walked Marsee to load the bases with no outs, setting the stage for Sanoja.

Sanoja, who had already driven in the Marlins’ first run, grounded a single to center field. Ramirez scored easily, and the Marlins celebrated the walk-off win. The hit was Sanoja’s second of the night, and it capped a 3-for-4 performance for Miami in the decisive at-bat.

The Nationals finished with nine hits, led by Ruiz, who went 2 for 4 with the home run and an RBI. Lile also had two hits, including the game-tying single in the ninth. Miami managed six hits, with Sanoja and Lopez each driving in runs.

Washington’s pitching staff combined for 14 strikes, 38 balls and 14 balls in play, while Miami’s pitchers threw 13 strikes, 52 balls and 13 balls in play. The game took 2 hours and 58 minutes and was played before an announced crowd of 13,941.

The victory was Miami’s fifth in its last seven games and continued a stretch of close contests against Washington. The Marlins won three straight against the Nationals in early June, then dropped the final game of a May series in Miami before this matchup. The teams will play again Saturday and Sunday at loanDepot Park before moving to Washington for three games next week.

For the Nationals, the loss was their third in four games. They dropped a 2-0 decision at Texas on Thursday before this matchup, and they have now lost seven of their last nine. Washington managed only two runs Friday despite out-hitting Miami, and the Nationals left several runners on base in the early innings.

In the first, Lile singled and advanced to second on a groundout, but Andres Chaparro walked and the inning ended with a strikeout. In the fourth, Brady House singled and Dylan Crews followed with a base hit, but a forceout and a flyout ended the threat. In the fifth, Lile singled again, but Washington could not move him past first.

Miami’s best early chance came in the third, when Leo Jimenez was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on Owen Caissie’s single with two outs. Griffin Conine struck out to end the inning. The Marlins put two runners on in the sixth with walks, but Otto Lopez flied out to right field.

The bullpens largely kept the game tight. For Washington, Ribalta worked around a walk in the seventh, striking out Esteury Ruiz to end the inning. For Miami, Gibson retired the side in order in the seventh, and Faucher needed just three pitches to get through the eighth.

Fairbanks, who entered with four wins and four losses, picked up the win despite allowing one earned run on one hit and two walks in his inning of work. He struck out two, but the Nationals pushed across the tying run against him. Beeter, now 5-4, took the loss after allowing one run on two hits and two walks in the ninth.

The Marlins will look to build on the win in the second game of the series Saturday, when Washington sends its starter to the mound against Miami’s scheduled starter. The Nationals will try to even the series before the two teams play a rubber match Sunday.

Saturday’s contest is scheduled to begin at the same time as Friday’s, with the Marlins hoping to extend their winning ways in front of another home crowd. Washington will aim to bounce back after a heartbreaker that came down to the final swing.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Miami 5, Washington 4, with Miami holding a 56.90 percent probability to win according to its ELO system. The Marlins were installed as a 1.5-run favorite, and the total score of 5 went under the over/under line of 8.5.