Marlins 6 - 5 Nationals
Final/11
  for this game

NL East rival Nats, Marlins meet in Washington

May 13, 2011 - 2:51 PM (Sports Network) - A pair of National League East inhabitants meet again tonight for the start of a three-game series, as the Washington Nationals welcome the Florida Marlins to the nation's capital.

So far the 2011 series between the Nats and Marlins is tied at three games apiece, with all six games played at Sun Life Stadium. The Marlins are still 13-4 in the previous 17 meetings between the two division foes.

Florida, however, has lost five of its last seven games overall and dropped two of three to NL East-rival Philadelphia earlier this week. In a 5-3 loss to the Phillies on Wednesday in the rubber match of their series, Ricky Nolasco pitched well in the no-decision, yielding two runs -- one earned -- and five hits in 6 1/3 innings of work. The bullpen blew it for Nolasco and gave up three runs to lose the lead and the game. Leo Nunez was dealt the loss for permitting two runs in the top of the ninth.

"They ended up winning the game and tomorrow is another day," said slugging shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who homered and scored twice "That's the good thing about this sport, you don't get much time to dwell on a loss."

John Buck and Mike Stanton also knocked in runs for the Marlins. Logan Morrison could be in action tonight for Florida and has been on the disabled list since late April because of a strained left arch. Morrison owns four homers and 11 RBI this season. He hasn't played since April 19 and is riding a 10-game hitting streak.

"If he is ready to go on Friday, he will be in the lineup, and we'll see what happens after that," Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez said of Morrison on the team's site.

Taking the mound for Florida tonight will be Chris Volstad, who will aiming to bounce back from his recent loss versus the Nationals on Saturday. Volstad was reached for three runs in six innings of a 5-2 loss, falling to 2-2 in six starts to go along with a 5.73 ERA.

Volstad, a right-hander, still owns a decent record in his career against the Nationals as evidenced by his 5-2 mark in 11 starts.

Washington went 4-5 on its nine-game road trip against division foes and concluded the trek by taking two of three matchups in Atlanta. It was aiming for a three-game sweep of the Braves, but dropped a 6-5 decision in 11 innings on Thursday at Turner Field.

Braves catcher Brian McCann stroked an RBI in the bottom of the 10th inning to send the Nationals back to DC on a losing note. Doug Slaten was the culprit and suffered his first loss of the season for the Nationals, who entered the series finale with four wins in five tries.

Jordan Zimmermann got the start and did not record a decision for allowing three runs in 6 1/3 frames with a career-high 11 strikeouts and two walks.

"I felt great all night. Everything was working," Zimmerman said on the team's website. "I just left one pitch up to Chipper. Other than that, everything was working. If I could take one pitch back, it would probably be the 3-1 slider to Freddie Freeman."

Danny Espinosa hit a two-run homer and Ivan Rodriguez added a solo shot for the Nationals, who got an RBI and two runs scored from Adam LaRoche.

Washington hopes Tom Gorzelanny can get a five-game homestand off to a good start when he takes the mound Friday night. Gorzelanny has won back-to-back starts thanks to eight shutout innings against San Francisco on May 2 and seven innings of two-run ball in Saturday's 5-2 triumph over Florida.

Gorzelanny struck out six batters and walked four to improve to 2-2 on the season with a 2.87 ERA in six starts. In three career starts versus the Marlins, the lefty is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA.

The Nationals will also host Pittsburgh for two games on the residency.






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