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Coghlan, Buck lead Marlins over Nats

Apr 7, 2011 - 3:58 AM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Chris Coghlan finished 4-for-5 with three runs scored and John Buck drilled a three-run triple, as Florida took its second straight game from division foe Washington, 7-4.

Coghlan was the table-setter, clubbing a pair of doubles as part of his four- hit night, while Buck's triple put the finishing touches on a four-run fifth, as Washington blew an early 4-0 lead.

"It is going to get contagious," Buck said of the team's clutch hitting on Wednesday.

Chris Volstad lasted just five frames in a no-decision, and Brian Sanches (1-0) picked up the victory with one clean frame.

Ian Desmond, off to a poor start in the leadoff spot, finished with four hits, including two doubles, and two runs batted in, Ryan Zimmerman drove in a run and Ivan Rodriguez scored twice for Washington, which has dropped three straight. Chad Gaudin (0-1) gave up two runs -- one earned -- on three hits over two frames to take the loss.

Livan Hernandez started for the Nationals and couldn't find the strike zone. He yielded just six hits in five frames, but walked five, a big part of giving up the four runs.

"It's early, we have to put everything together," said Hernandez.

The Nationals tagged Volstad for three runs in the second, as the first two runners reached, Rick Ankiel with a walk and Danny Espinosa via a single to right. Ankiel reached third on the base hit, which allowed him to score on a head-first slide after a wide throw by David Murphy on Rodriguez's chopper to third. The runners moved up on Hernandez's bunt, and the first scored when Desmond's bunt for a hit landed between the pitcher and third base. After a Jayson Werth walk, Zimmerman lofted a sacrifice fly to right for the 3-0 edge.

Rodriguez started the fourth by reaching on Hanley Ramirez's fielding error and moved to second when Hernandez handled the bat again with a sacrifice. Desmond's double past Coghlan in center plated the runner.

The Marlins didn't mount much offense until the fifth frame when the floodgates opened with a game-tying four spot. Coghlan slugged a double down the right-field line and moved to third on Omar Infante's flyout to center. Ramirez then slapped a breaking ball down the line in left for a run-scoring double, and back-to-back walks loaded the bases. Buck drove a fastball the other way that nearly left the ballpark, hitting off the top of the padding for a bases-clearing triple.

In the sixth, it was Greg Dobbs' one-out single that started the offense then Coghlan connected on his second straight two-bagger. Infante's single to left scored Dobbs, and the second runner crossed the plate when Desmond, in a rush to field and throw home, booted Ramirez's grounder to short.

Florida added an insurance tally in the eighth on Gaby Sanchez's sacrifice fly.

Washington brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but Zimmerman struck out swinging.

Game Notes

Logan Morrison worked three of Florida's eight walks...Leo Nunez picked up his first save of the season...Desmond committed his first error of the season...Florida has won 15 of the last 20 meetings with Washington...Volstad was charged with four runs -- three earned -- on four hits and four walks.