MIAMI, FL -- Martin Prado went 3-3 with an RBI, a walk, and a run scored to lead the Miami Marlins past the Washington Nationals, 4-1, on Tuesday night. 

Dee Gordon added a 2-3 night with a run scored, and Christian Yelich also added two hits and an RBI.

Prado and the Marlins batting came alive in innings 5 through 7, scoring four runs over that span to take home a win against Nats pitcher Jordan Zimmermann. Zimmerman pitched 6.0 frames, giving up 3 runs (all earned) on 8 hits and 2 walks while striking out just 2 batters. He would finish with the loss on the day, dropping to 8-6 on the year with a 3.36 ERA. 

Jose Fernandez picked up the win on the other side. The hard-throwing righthander tied a career-high by allowing four walks, but was able to hold down a Nats lineup that got the returns of Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman to just one run. Fernandez went six innings, giving up the one run in the second inning and striking out 5 to improve to a 4-0 record with an ERA of 2.53.

Washington scored its lone run by route of a sacrifice fly hit by Wilson Ramos. This was a result of a leadoff walk taken by Bryce Harper, followed by a Zimmerman double to advance the young phenom to third. After an Ian Desmond strikeout, Ramos did the dirty work to knock Harper in.

Zimmerman was the only Nationals player to notch multiple hits on the night, going 2-3 and also walking in the fourth inning. Harper went 1-3 with a walk and a run scored as well.

The Miami batting caught fire in the fifth inning, as the team scored a run on a sac fly of their own. J.T. Realmuto and Ichiro started off the inning with singles following a Derek Dietrich strikeout, Realmuto advancing to third on Ichiro's hit. Adeiny Hechavarria socked a fly ball far enough to Bryce Harper in right field to score Realmuto and tie the game at the end of 5.

Two more runs came for Miami in the sixth inning, as Dee Gordon started off the frame with a banger of a triple. Martin Prado knocked him in with a single the next at-bat. Then, after Christian Yelich singled and made it to second while Prado beat out a throw to third, the bases were loaded up with an intentional walk of Derek Dietrich. A J.T. Realmuto grounder did the job to knock in one more run before the third out.

Against a new pitcher in the bottom half of the seventh inning, the Marlins made sure not to stop the aggressive batting. Cole Gillespie singled and advanced to second on a Dee Gordon bunt. After Prado was walked onto first, a Christian Yelich single knocked in Gillespie to provide the final 4-1 score.

A.J. Ramos earned his 17th save on the season by pitching a scoreless yet dangerous top ninth inning. Despite giving up a hit and two bases on balls, Ramos was able to force a game-ending double play to escape bases loaded danger and earn the save. 

Miami is now 42-58, fourth in the NL East. The Nats sit atop the division at 52-46, one game ahead of the New York Mets and 11 ahead of the Marlins.

These two teams will face off again from Marlins Park in Miami for the middle contest of this three-game series. Gametime is set for 7:10 PM EST.

Note: The Nationals acquired closer Jonathan Papelbon Tuesday evening, but would not have been able to use him regardless if he had been present.