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Ramirez, Marlins outslug Nationals

Apr 8, 2008 - 4:43 AM By Tim Hipps PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Hanley Ramirez got the Florida Marlins off to another fast start on Monday night.

Ramirez led off the game with a double and scored a run in the first and added a three-run homer during a five-run third to lead the Florida Marlins to a 10-7 victory over the Washington Nationals, who lost their fifth in a row.

Florida has won three of its last four games.

"I was just like, All right, let's do it, baby," Ramirez said of getting the Marlins going in the first inning. "And I came up with a big hit."

Ramirez's blast with Alfredo Amezaga and starting pitcher Andrew Miller aboard gave the Marlins a 7-3 lead in the third inning.

Amezaga reached on a two-run double to right that scored Matt Treanor and Jorge Cantu, who started the five-run inning courtesy of a throwing error by Nationals shortstop Cristian Guzman.

"I'm getting comfortable at third base and I can hit," said Cantu, a converted second baseman who signed with Florida in January to replace Miguel Cabrera, who was traded to Detroit in December. "It's just a thrill to be here because I think we can be a surprise this year.

"We had everything going. Every at-bat was real frozen on the ball. It was just a matter of putting ball in play and making something happen. That was the key to the game."

Miller collected his first career hit during the rally.

"I just tried to follow them," Ramirez said. "Amazega came up with a double and I got a three-run homer, so it was a big inning. When he got that double, everybody was motivated after that."

After splitting a season-opening, six-game homestand against the New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates, the Marlins won their first road game of the season in their first visit to Nationals Park, where the Nationals dropped to 1-1.

Washington has lost five in a row for the first time since dropping seven straight from August 24-31, 2007.

Pinch hitter Robert Andino hit a two-run homer in the ninth and Dan Uggla added a solo shot in the sixth for the Marlins.

The Nationals pulled to 7-6 in the fourth on Guzman's two-run single that scored Ronnie Belliard and Felipe Lopez. Lastings Milledge followed with an RBI single to left that scored Willie Harris, who was plunked by Marlins lefthander Miller.

Uggla's homer gave the Marlins an 8-6 lead in the sixth and chased Nationals righthander Chris Schroeder, who allowed one hit in 1 2/3 innings.

Uggla, coincidentally, attended the University of Memphis, which lost to Kansas in overtime Monday night in the NCAA men's basketball championship game. He was named to the All-America baseball team for the Tigers in 2001.

"The (Marlins') win was the most important thing," said Uggla, who was watching as his alma mater failed to hold on down the stretch in regulation against Kansas. "To help contribute to that was kind of fun, kind of cool.

"To see them doing as well as they're doing right now, maybe they'll pull this out and Memphis will get a national championship. That would make this a real nice night."

Uggla did not cash in on the daily double, but he was pleased with the Marlins' production at the plate.

"If you score that many runs, you're going to give yourself a chance to win," Uggla said. "The bullpen really picked us up tonight and we just happened to get a big home run by Andino in the ninth. That was a really big hit."

Guzman delivered his second triple of the game in the eighth inning and scored on Milledge's sacrifice fly off righthander Justin Miller that pulled the Nationals to 8-7.

Washington loaded the bases against Justin Miller, righthander Taylor Tankersley and righthander Kevin Gregg, who induced Paul Lo Duca into an inning-ending grounder to third.

Guzman also had two triples in a game on April 8, 2001 at Kansas City.

Lefthander Renyel Pinto (1-0) pitched 2 2/3 hitless innings to earn the win and Gregg got the save for the Marlins.

"Our bullpen has been doing good and that's what we need," said Ramirez, who went 3-for-5 at the plate. "I think our bullpen will do good the whole year. We've got a day off tomorrow and we'll come back Wednesday and try to win the series."

The Marlins took a 3-1 lead in the second on singles by Cantu and Treanor, a bases-loading walk by Amezaga and a bases-loaded walk by Uggla.

The Nationals scored twice in the second on singles by Lo Duca and Belliard - who was celebrating his 33rd birthday - followed by an RBI single by Lopez and a sacrifice fly by Guzman.

Ramirez started the game with a leadoff double and scored an unearned run when Milledge misplayed a drive by Uggla in center field.

The Nationals tied it at 1-1 in the first with a leadoff triple to right by Guzman and an RBI double to left by Milledge.

Lefthander Andrew Miller allowed six runs on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings for the Marlins. He struck out three and walked one.

Nationals righthander Tim Redding (1-1) allowed seven runs on seven hits over four innings, but only one of the runs was earned. He struck out three and walked two.

"Back off on the defense," Redding said in defense of his teammates, who committed two errors. "Guys are out there busting their butts trying to make plays. No matter how difficult a routine, I'll never get on a player for trying to make a play.

"If you want to talk about an error, talk about the 2-2 pitch to Amezega with first base open and two outs. That's the biggest error of the game. That cost us the game, and that's on my shoulders."