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Marlins continue homestand against Nats

Apr 5, 2011 - 3:03 PM (Sports Network) - The Florida Marlins continue their season-opening six-game homestand Tuesday with the first of three games against the Washington Nationals at Sun Life Stadium.

The Marlins dropped the final two contests of a three-game set with the Mets and are coming off Sunday's 9-2 defeat in which newcomer Javier Vazquez (0-1) was torched for seven runs (four earned) in just 2 1/3 innings. The former Yankee walked five and yielded six hits.

Florida committed three errors behind Vazquez and left 14 men on base, while Gaby Sanchez led the offense with three hits and an RBI.

Anibal Sanchez will take his first turn on the hill Tuesday looking to get Florida back on the right track. The native Venezuelan is coming off a 13-12 season in 2010, and more importantly kept good health in setting career highs in starts (32), innings (195.0) and strikeouts (157) while pitching to a 3.55 earned-run average.

The 27-year-old right-hander is entering his sixth season in the majors and is a perfect 5-0 lifetime versus Washington with a 2.28 ERA in 13 starts. He faced the Nationals on four occasions in 2010, going 2-0 with a sparkling 1.05 ERA in 25 2/3 innings. He struck out 22 against just seven walks in that span.

The Nationals began their season at home and lost two of three to the Braves over the weekend. Washington was thumped, 11-2, in Sunday's finale as the bullpen was tagged for eight runs in only three innings of work. Starter Jordan Zimmermann (0-1) received the loss, holding Atlanta to four hits and three runs (two earned) in six innings.

"Today was unexplainable. We just did not play well," Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said.

Veteran hurler Jason Marquis will be charged with shutting down the Marlins Tuesday, as the 32-year-old enters his 12th major league season.

Marquis made just 13 starts for the Nats in 2010 due to elbow problems that eventually led to surgery and went 2-9 in that time with a lofty 6.60 ERA. It was a far cry from the 15-win season for Colorado in 2009 that landed the righty a free agent deal in Washington.

Marquis managed to face the Fish twice in 2010 despite the short body of work and split decisions while pitching to a 3.86 ERA. In 20 games, including 13 career starts versus Florida, Marquis is 5-6 with a 6.62 ERA.

Florida went 13-5 against the Nats in 2010 and is 39-14 in the series over the last three seasons.