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Jul 29, 2009 - 4:56 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Atlanta (51-48) at Florida (51-48), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The Florida Marlins believe they can win every time Josh Johnson takes the mound. They're also getting the job done when their All-Star isn't pitching.

After a dramatic comeback victory, the Marlins look to win for the seventh time in eight games Wednesday night when Johnson takes the ball against the Atlanta Braves.

In Tuesday's opener, pinch-hitter Ross Gload hit a two-run homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth to give Florida a 4-3 win. The Marlins (52-48) fell behind by a run on Garret Anderson's go-ahead home run in the ninth before rallying for their sixth win in seven games to move one game ahead of the third-place Braves (51-49).

"It was a huge game," Gload said. "Hopefully they'll all be big games until the end of the year."

Johnson (9-2, 2.80 ERA) has been doing more than his part to keep the Marlins in the playoff race.

Johnson extended his own franchise record of consecutive quality starts to 17 in Friday's 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowing three runs and five hits in seven innings.

Florida has won nine of Johnson's last 11 starts and the right-hander's last five at home. Johnson has been at his best in Land Shark Stadium, going 4-1 with a 1.98 ERA in 10 starts there.

"(Johnson) gives you that extra confidence," Marlins third baseman Wes Helms told the team's official Web site. "When he takes the mound, we think, 'Hey, if we get some runs, we've got a chance to win the game. I know it gives our whole team confidence. It's a big difference out there."

This will be Johnson's first start of the season against the Braves after going 1-0 with a 2.40 ERA in two outings against them last year.

Atlanta, which is 8-4 since the All-Star break, is trying to avoid dropping back-to-back games for the first time since losing three in a row July 4-6.

The Braves' offense has been hit-or-miss in their last five games, combining for 19 runs and 29 hits in their two wins but only four runs and 18 hits in the three losses.

Scheduled starter Kenshin Kawakami (5-7, 4.04) is hoping that Atlanta's inconsistent offense will show up for him.

Despite posting a 2.04 ERA in his last three starts, Kawakami is just 1-1 in those games. A lack of run support has preventing him from accumulating a few more wins, as he's been backed by just three total runs of support in those contests.

In Atlanta's 5-1 loss to San Francisco on Thursday, the right-hander allowed just one run and four hits in five innings.

Kawakami hasn't faced the Marlins since giving up five runs and five hits with seven strikeouts in six innings of a 6-2 loss April 16.

"It doesn't matter which pitcher we use, we are capable of beating any team that is going to make the playoffs this year," Chipper Jones told the Braves' official Web site.

Jones hit his 13th homer Tuesday, giving him four in his last nine games.