The legend of the Washington Nationals Joey Meneses continues. The 30-year-old rookie sparked a four-run seventh inning with a leadoff inside-the-park home run against the Miami Marlins.
The Nationals trailed 4-0 in the seventh when Meneses drove a curveball from Marlins pitcher Jesus Luzardo to deep right center. Marlins outfielder JJ Bleday could not track the ball down as it bounced off the wall. A hustling Meneses rounded the bases and turned the corner at third before sliding in at home without much of a challenge.
The Nationals eventually tied the game as CJ Abrams capped off the rally with a two-run triple.
Meneses then scored the go-ahead run in the eighth off an RBI ground-rule double by Ildemaro Vargas. The Nationals won 5-4.
Meneses spent ten years playing in the minors, Mexico and Japan before the Nationals called him up on Aug. 2 — the same day the team traded Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres for a haul of players, including Abrams.
Meneses has since taken full advantage of his opportunity. In 38 games, he is hitting .323/.352/.561 with nine home runs and 23 RBI. In a season of rebuilding, Joey Meneses has become the main attraction of the Nationals in the final months.
