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Nationals use strong start to double up Marlins

May 15, 2011 - 11:20 PM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Ivan Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored to help Washington earn an 8-4 win over Florida and avoid a three-game sweep.

Jason Marquis (5-1) was charged with four runs -- two earned -- on six hits over 6 2/3 innings to get the win. He also went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI as the Nationals snapped a three-game losing streak.

Jayson Werth scored twice while Roger Bernadina had an RBI and a run scored in the win. Both players had two hits.

Mike Stanton hit two doubles, scored once and drove in a run for the Marlins, who had won three of four coming in. Javier Vazquez (2-4) took the loss after a rough start, as he was tagged for six runs on seven hits and two walks over just four innings.

"Today he couldn't get out of that first inning and I can't explain it," said Florida manager Edwin Rodriguez about Vazquez. "After that he did a good job, but that first inning was a killer for us."

Washington sent nine men to the plate in the first inning to take a 6-0 lead.

With men on first and second, Laynce Nix singled home a run and, after Adam LaRoche walked to load the bases, Ivan Rodriguez brought home two more with another single. A groundout from Jerry Hairston scored another runner and Alex Cora followed with a single.

Marquis helped his cause with a double into the corner in left that Logan Morrison had trouble getting to, but Marquis was tagged out at third trying to stretch the double into a triple for the final out of the inning.

"It's nice to have that kind of lead after the first inning," said Marquis. "It really helps you relax out there and not have to worry about every pitch you make. It helps that the defense did a great job when I did make bad pitches."

The Marlins got two on the board in the second inning. Gaby Sanchez led off the inning by reaching first thanks to an error on Hairston. After Morrison doubled, a sacrifice fly from Stanton plated Sanchez. Brett Hayes later singled in Morrison to make it a 6-2 game.

In the fifth inning the Nats plated another run as Rodriguez's double scored Werth, who led off with a single, for a 7-2 lead.

Florida made it a three-run game in the seventh. Stanton led off with a double and came home when Greg Dobbs followed with a two-bagger. Later in the inning, Chris Coghlan singled to right to score Dobbs to make it 7-4.

Washington got a run in the eighth inning as an infield single from Bernadina scored Rodriguez.

Game Notes

Washington came into the game having committed just one error in its prior 15 games...Washington hosts Pittsburgh for two games starting on Monday...Florida plays two games in New York against the Mets starting on Monday...Despite the loss, the Marlins are still 21-8 all time at Nationals Park. They had an eight-game winning streak in Washington snapped...Washington reliever Todd Coffey left the game in the seventh inning after getting drilled in his pitching elbow by a Emilio Bonifacio liner back to the mound.