Miles Mikolas allows back-to-back-to-back homers in 5th inning to sink Nationals

Nationals fans had already grown restless, but they let their disgust be heard after right-hander Miles Mikolas allowed his third consecutive home run, showering him with boos as he regrouped on the mound.

​The Nationals entered the fifth inning of Tuesday’s 7-3 loss against the Marlins with both teams throwing no-hitters. The Nationals left the inning trailing 4-0.

​The Marlins’ fifth-inning flurry happened swiftly. Mikolas, appearing in the bulk reliever role, recorded a groundout to begin the inning He then walked rookie Owen Caissie — who entered the game with a minuscule 6.8% walk rate — and allowed a two-run homer to Joe Mack on a first-pitch sinker to break up the scoreless tie and the Nationals’ no-hitter.

​Designated hitter Heriberto Hernández hammered a 2-1 slider for a solo homer, picking up where he left off from Monday’s game, and shortstop Otto Lopez completed the trifecta after knocking a 2-1 sinker to the left field seats.

​Mikolas walked All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers before recording back-to-back outs to end the inning. But the damage was done. Against a Marlins team that entered Tuesday with the third-fewest homers (49), Mikolas was unable to limit their power.

​The Nationals’ offense wasn’t able to muster much against Miami’s relievers in a bullpen game until the sixth inning, when catcher Drew Millas led off with a bloop single and advanced to third on a single and a fly out.. First baseman Luis García Jr. grounded into a force that scored pinch-runner Keibert Ruiz, who came in for Millas after he cut his lip sliding into third base.

Washington added two runs in the seventh with three consecutive singles and a pair of groundouts to make it 4-3.

Miami’s assortment of relievers kept the Nationals off-balance for much of Tuesday’s game. While the offense deserves some blame in Tuesday’s loss for not coming through with runners in scoring position (1-for-8), the Nationals’ bats have been terrific all season long. The lineup has carried the team throughout the season with its speed, contact and power.

​The pitching was always the unit that was on shaky ground. In May, the Nationals’ pitching staff improved its team ERA (4.08), which was only 19th in the majors but enough to help the team to its best month since August 2023. Mikolas, who had turned things around after a slow start to the season, was a big part of that.

He worked with pitching coach Simon Mathews on adjusting his setup out of the windup, which gave Mikolas more of a rhythm on the mound and upped his velocity. His 3.52 ERA in five May appearances was a testament to the success in altering his stance and trusting his stuff more in the zone.

​After Mikolas’ miscues in the fifth inning, he rebounded to give the team length, throwing six innings, but he created a deficit too steep to overcome. Miami tacked on three more runs in the ninth inning — two charged to Mikolas, one to left-hander Mitchell Parker.