• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Nolasco, Marlins blank Nats

Sep 10, 2012 - 12:08 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Ricky Nolasco pitched a shutout and drove in two runs as the Miami Marlins downed the Washington Nationals, 8-0, in the finale of a three-game set.

Nolasco (12-12) gave up just four hits and a walk with six strikeouts and added a two-run double in the second inning. It was his second shutout of the season and fourth of his career. It was also his ninth career complete game.

"We've had our ups and downs but I think we've done a good job of staying level-headed and doing what we have to do," said Nolasco. "Sometimes the outcomes don't go the way we want, but nobody has ever quit."

Greg Dobbs had three hits and a run scored, Giancarlo Stanton added a solo homer and two runs scored and Bryan Petersen also scored twice for the Marlins, who have won three of four.

Edwin Jackson (9-10) gave up six runs on nine hits with a pair of walks and strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings for the Nationals, who came into the game having won six of their last seven.

"He is really nasty when he starts throwing that changeup and breaking ball," said Washington manager Davey Johnson about Nolasco. "That fastball was great today and when he's pitching like that, there's not a lot you can do."

Miami got all the runs it needed in the second inning. With two outs, Dobbs singled and Donovan Solano followed with a base hit. Rob Brantly then singled in a run and Nolasco helped his own cause with a two-run double to center for a 3-0 lead.

In the fourth, the Marlins worked two more runs across. Solano walked to leadoff the inning and moved to second on a Brantly groundout. Two batters later, Petersen singled him home and Justin Ruggiano followed with a double for a 5-0 lead.

Miami made it a 6-0 game in the fifth on Solano's sac fly and got a run each in the seventh and eighth innings thanks to Stanton's leadoff homer in the seventh and an RBI single from Carlos Lee in the eighth.

Nolasco faced the minimum through the first six innings, inducing double plays in the first and fifth, before stranding a runner on base in the seventh.

Chad Tracy doubled with one out in the eighth, but was stranded there as Danny Espinosa lined out and Kurt Suzuki grounded out.

Steve Lombardozzi singled with one out in the ninth and Bryce Harper followed with a single, but Nolasco got Roger Bernadina to fly out and Mark DeRosa to groundout and end the game.

Game Notes

Each team won nine times in the season series ... Washington begins a three- game set in New York on Monday ... Miami plays three in Philly starting on Monday ... Miami left 10 men on base, but did bat 5-for-15 with runners in scoring position.