Marlins End Nats Brief Winning Streak, 11-3

Nats manager Jim Riggleman blamed the pitching

The Washington Nationals got smacked back by the Florida Marlins Saturday, after knocking the fish 5-3 the night before.

Jorge Cantu doubled, homered and drove in five runs, and Cody Ross also doubled and homered to lead Florida past last-place Washington 11-3 on Saturday night.

The victory pulled Florida within five games of Philadelphia in the National League East. The teams are scheduled to play six more times.
 

Nats manager Jim Riggleman blamed the pitching. “Outhitting somebody and losing is not unusual, but losing by eight or nine runs shows how bad we pitched,” he said.

Washington's Justin Maxwell hit two solo homers for his first career multihomer game.

Cantu's three-run homer in the first gave Florida a 3-0 lead.

Chris Coghlan opened with a single before Nick Johnson walked. After Hanley Ramirez struck out looking, Cantu sent Estrada's 2-2 pitch into the seats over the left-center scoreboard.

Washington pulled within 3-1 when Maxwell led off the second with a homer to right. It was his first of the season, and third of his career.

Florida went ahead 5-1 in the third when Cantu doubled home Johnson and Ramirez with one out.

Adam Dunn doubled home Willie Harris in the fifth to make it 5-2. It was Dunn's 99th RBI as he seeks his fifth season with 100 or more RBIs.

Ross and Gaby Sanchez, as a pinch hitter, homered in the sixth to help the Marlins build an 8-2 lead. Ross led off by lining Logan Kensing's 1-1 pitch over the left-field scoreboard. After Brett Carroll singled, Sanchez lined a 1-1 pitch into the left-field seats.

Ross' run-scoring double and Carroll's sacrifice fly made it 10-2 in the seventh.

Maxwell hit his second homer off Matt Lindstrom with one out in the eighth.

“I just got a couple good pitches and didn't miss them,” Maxwell said.

Ramirez's sacrifice fly in the eighth increased Florida's lead to 11-3.

Notes: The announced crowd of 38,214 was Florida's third-largest of the season behind 46,427 vs. the Yankees on June 20, and 39,412 vs. the Mets on April 11. ... Washington RF Elijah Dukes (stiff back) was in the original lineup before being replaced by Maxwell. ... Estrada struck out the side looking -- Ramirez, John Baker, Dan Uggla -- in the first. ... Sanchez, who attended the University of Miami, hit his homer on the school's “family night” at the stadium.
 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us