With the mercury hitting 91 for a midday game just hours after playing the night before, Anthony Rendon was given the option of taking Independence Day off.
Instead, he worked the holiday. And now the surging Washington Nationals are near the top of the National League East standings behind the Atlanta Braves.
“He wanted to play. That is who he is,” manager Dave Martinez said.
The third baseman was named an All-Star earlier this week, and he looked like one Thursday as the Nationals topped the Miami Marlins, 5-2, to complete the three-game sweep at Nationals Park.
Rendon broke a tie with a single to score Gerardo Parra as the Nationals took a 3-2 lead in the last of the fifth.
One inning earlier, Rendon had tied the game 2-2 with his 20th home run. The Houston native is hitting .310 with 60 RBI.
“He’s a great hitter,” winning pitcher Anibal Sanchez said of the hot-hitting Rendon. “He’s patient. Hopefully he can keep doing it.”
Homers were the order of the day again for the Nationals, who have won four in a row — all by three runs or less.
Kurt Suzuki hit his 10th home run in the second inning to cut the lead to 2-1. That gave the Nationals’ an 18th straight game with a homer to extend a franchise record.
Sanchez had a rough start, giving up a homer to the first batter he faced in Miguel Rojas as the Marlins took a 1-0 lead.
After two more Marlins reached base on singles, Sanchez (5-6) settled down and the Nationals recorded two outs to escape the inning.
J.T. Riddle scored on Rojas’ fielder’s choice to center field to make it 2-0 in the second inning.
The Marlins trailed 3-2 when they chose to intentionally walk Trea Turner in the sixth with two outs. Parra made the Marlins pay with a two-run double to make it 5-2.
“I was ready for the at-bat and then when they put the four fingers up … ” Turner said. “Hopefully Parra gets it done and he did … he’s been really clutch for us this year, he’s gotten a lot of really big hits for us and has been really good in situations, so I had some confidence in him.”
Sanchez gave up two runs, but only one earned, over six innings.
Fernando Rodney picked up his second save with the Nationals and also hit 99 miles per hour on the radar gun.
“Nothing surprises me with that guy,” Suzuki said of Rodney. “We have a lot of options down there.”
Wander Suero came on to pitch the eighth after Tanner Rainey retired three batters without allowing a run in the seventh.
Lefty Jonny Venters got two outs in the eighth after taking over for Suero. Then Javy Guerra got the last out of the eighth.
Rodney was needed in the ninth since regular closer Sean Doolittle had pitched the previous two games. Martinez said Rodney is now the option to close on days when Doolittle is not available.
Washington has won eight of its last nine overall and six in a row against the Marlins.
Now 45-41, the Nationals boast the best record in the majors since May 24 at 26-10.
• Katelyn Davis can be reached at kdavis@washingtontimes.com.
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