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Volstad guides Marlins to a win

Jun 26, 2011 - 5:16 AM Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Chris Volstad turned in 6 2/3 solid innings and added an RBI as the Florida Marlins earned a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners to even a three-game interleague set.

Volstad (3-7) took a no-hitter into the fifth and did not walk a batter. In recording his first win since April 26, he allowed two runs on five hits while striking out two.

Hanley Ramirez belted a two-run ground-rule double for the Marlins, who halted a two-game slide. Still, the club has dropped 23 of its last 27 games.

Leo Nunez pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to record his 21st save of the season.

Jason Vargas (5-5), facing his original major league team for the first time, allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks over six innings.

Carlos Peguero was 2-for-4 with a solo home run and Chone Figgins added an RBI for the Mariners, who have lost five of seven.

The contest was originally intended to be played at Sun Life Stadium, but was relocated to Safeco Field due to a scheduling conflict.

The Marlins loaded the bases in the first with three consecutive singles by Emilio Bonifacio, Omar Infante and Gaby Sanchez. Ramirez then strode to the plate and ripped the first offering from Vargas deep into right-center for a two-run, ground-rule double. Mike Stanton followed with a sacrifice fly to center, giving the Marlins an early 3-0 advantage.

"The only pitch that I really felt like I missed was that ball that [Ramirez] hit in to the gap," said Vargas. "Other than that I felt that I was making the pitches that I wanted to, they were just hitting them."

Volstad was dealing early and often. He retired Dustin Ackley and Franklin Gutierrez in order in the fifth before Peguero emphatically broke up the no- hit bid with a line-drive, solo shot to right.

Helping himself in the sixth, Volstad lifted a two-out single into right- center to score John Buck, who began the inning with a ground-rule double.

In the seventh, three consecutive one-out singles loaded the bases and a subsequent sac fly from Figgins cut the Marlins' lead to two and forced Volstad from the game. Randy Choate spelled Volstad and hit pinch-hitter Justin Smoak, who was scratched from the starting lineup with a sore thumb. With the bases once again full, Choate induced a groundout from Ichiro Suzuki to end the threat.

Edward Mujica faced the minimum in the eighth before Nunez did the same in the ninth.

In all, the Mariners were just 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

"That's a good team win right there," said Volstad. "Hopefully, we can start going a little bit."

Game Notes

Volstad was 0-6 over his last 10 starts...On Friday night, the Marlins dropped their 21st game in the month of June, setting a franchise record for most losses in a single month...Jack McKeon was named the Marlins interim manager after Edwin Rodriguez resigned on June 19. McKeon, 80, led the Marlins to a World Series title in 2003 and is the second-oldest manager in major league history after Connie Mack (87)...Vargas was originally drafted by the Marlins in the second round of the 2004 amateur draft. He posted a 6-7 record and a 5.25 ERA in 29 games -- 18 starts -- with Florida over two seasons.