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Scorching Marlins face sputtering Nationals

Apr 18, 2009 - 4:57 AM By Alan Ferguson Stats Writer

Florida (9-1) at Washington (1-8), 1:05 p.m. EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) -- After throwing his second career complete game, Josh Johnson of the Florida Marlins said he felt so good he could have gone another inning.

Trying to extend their best start in franchise history, the Marlins would settle for another strong performance from the right-hander, who will try to stay unbeaten against the Washington Nationals as Florida continues its three-game road series Saturday.

In a 2-1 win over the visiting New York Mets on Sunday, Johnson took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and outdueled ace Johan Santana, striking out seven and allowing five hits.

"I bet you I could have gone 10," Johnson said. "I felt like I could. I've worked hard this offseason to get to this point where I can go this long, and maybe even longer."

His next start will be a familiar matchup as he faces the Nationals for the second time in 11 days. Johnson pitched 6 2-3 scoreless innings and struck out eight on April 7 in an 8-3 home victory on his way to National League pitcher of the week honors.

Johnson's counterpart will also be a familiar one, and not just because Scott Olsen (0-2, 14.63 ERA) pitched four seasons in Florida before being traded in November with Josh Willingham for Emilio Bonifacio and two other players. The left-hander was the loser in the matchup earlier this month, allowing eight runs on eight hits in three innings, and he followed by giving up five runs on six hits in five innings Sunday in an 8-5 loss in Atlanta.

The Marlins (9-1) opened this series Friday night with a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory in 10 innings. Cody Ross' home run in the ninth sent the game into extra innings, where Jeremy Hermida's infield single scored Jorge Cantu for Florida's season-high fifth straight win.

"It's great. It's always important to get off to a good start, but the thing is, it's such a long season you've got to keep it going," second baseman Dan Uggla said. "This start's not going to be worth (anything) if we don't keep it going."

Both Johnson and Florida have plenty of recent success against the sputtering Nationals (1-8). Johnson is 4-0 with a 2.48 ERA in six career starts versus Washington, earning a win in three straight meetings by allowing four earned runs.

With Friday's victory, the Marlins improved to 20-3 in their last 23 games with the Nationals and 8-1 in their last nine in Washington.

On the brink of their worst start since moving from Montreal in 2005, the Nationals took another hit with leading hitter Cristian Guzman (.515) going to the 15-day disabled list Friday with a left hamstring strain.

Guzman was injured Monday while leaving the batter's box after his fifth hit in the team's home opener.

Alberto Gonzalez filled in for Guzman at shortstop, had a tying double for one of his three hits Friday - improving his average to .500 - and scored the go-ahead run in the fourth inning.

The Marlins' two top batters, Bonifacio and Cantu, each had two hits in their previous meeting with Olsen, but despite hitting a team-best .378, Bonifacio is in a 1-for-12 slump.