WASHINGTON _ Don Mattingly spared himself from having to sit through yet another lethargic loss when he was ejected for complaining about home plate umpire Ben May's strike zone on Friday.
Mattingly was ejected in the fourth inning of the Marlins' 8-2 loss to the Nationals, which prevented him seeing with his own eyes:
_ The 0-2 pitch from Dan Straily that Matt Wieters launched over the wall for a home run.
_ Magneuris Sierra taking his time going after Bryce Harper's single and allowing it to become a double.
_ Jarlin Garcia heaving a pick-off throw into foul territory.
_ Rafael Ortega's outfield throw skipping into the camera well and allowing a run to score.
_ And Marlins hitters flailing throughout the evening against Max Scherzer.
The Marlins are not a pleasant sight these days, losing 15 of their past 17 games in which they've been outscored 101-44. Their only two wins during that span have each been by one run.
Does the gaudy "MVP Chain" the players bought in late July to award winning performance continue to exist? The Marlins have won just five games since the chain was unveiled following a victory over the Braves on July 24 and is likely gathering dust somewhere.
The Marlins last won a road game on July 21 in St. Petersburg and haven't won a game outside Florida since before the All-Star break when they defeated the Nationals here on July 8.
The Marlins established a new single-season franchise record on Friday by losing their 12th straight on the road, breaking by one the 11-game road skid of the 108-loss '98 team.
Not that the Marlins are playing much better at home.
They're not playing well anywhere.
The Marlins scored their only run on Austin Dean's seventh-inning home run off Trevor Gott. It was Dean's first major-league hit.
Otherwise, it was another dominating performance by Scherzer, who improved his record this season against the Marlins to 4-0. He held the Marlins to six hits over six innings. Scherzer also doubled and scored a pair of runs.
