Nolasco leads Marlins' win

Nolasco didn't panic, finished up the inning with little damage and got back to business.

As did the Marlins.

Nolasco (2-3) surrendered one run in six solid innings of work as Florida won its fifth in a row with a 7-3 victory on a chilly night over Washington at Nationals Park. The first-place Marlins, off to the best start in franchise history at 21-14, have won six of seven.

''I don't pay attention to the numbers. I just know we're playing good baseball right now -- good, fundamental baseball,'' said manager Fredi Gonzalez. ``We're getting good pitching, getting good hitting. We'll be back out here [Saturday].''

Nolasco (2-3) bounced back from a rough start against the San Diego Padres on May 3 at Dolphin Stadium. He didn't give up a hit Friday night until there were two outs in the fourth, when Nick Johnson sliced a single past second baseman Dan Uggla.

Nolasco suddenly faltered, giving up a single to Lastings Milledge before walking Austin Kearns. With the bases loaded, Nolasco worked the count full after going 3-0 on Wily Mo Pena, and the left fielder eventually walked to bring in the Nationals' first run.

Gonzalez sent pitching coach Mark Wiley out to settle down Nolasco, and that seemed to do the trick. With the bases still full, catcher Wil Nieves grounded out to shortstop Hanley Ramirez, ending the threat.

''It's a good thing I got those two quick outs,'' Nolasco said afterward. ``I had a little problem finding the strike zone, but I was able to get that pitch down and get Nieves. He just rolled over on it.''

Said Gonzalez: ``He got the hamster back on the track.''

Nolasco was no worse for wear when he came back out in the fifth. Nolasco gave up another two-out walk, but pinch-hitter Rob Mackowiak flied out to the right-field warning track, and the inning was done.

STRONG FINISH

It appeared Gonzalez was going to turn the game over to the bullpen in the sixth, but Florida erupted for four runs (three off Luis Gonzalez's bases-loaded double) in its share of the frame, and Nolasco came out for another inning.

Nolasco finished strong, striking out the final two batters he faced. He gave up four hits and struck out six in the game.

''You could say that,'' Fredi Gonzalez said when asked if this was Nolasco's best start of the season. ``He pitched good; velocity was up. The one inning he gave up the run in started so innocently; then, all of a sudden, here we go. He settled down, closed out some batters, closed out some innings. That's a good sign.''

After Nolasco's efficient sixth, Florida turned to its bullpen to close out a game in which Florida built a six-run lead. Doug Waechter started -- but didn't finish -- the seventh as Washington scored twice off him.

The Marlins' lead was too much for the Nationals to overcome.

In the first inning, Cody Ross made the most of his first start in nearly a week by singling to right field. Ross moved to third base on an errant throw by Nieves, scoring on Ramirez's sacrifice fly to center field.

In the fourth, the Marlins' speed earned them a few more runs. Jeremy Hermida walked to lead it off, moving to third on Ramirez's double. Ramirez never slowed down coming around first and dislodged the ball on Cristian Guzman's tag. Jorge Cantu brought both home with a soft single to right to make it 3-0.

BREAKING AWAY

The Marlins broke it wide open in the sixth, loading the bases with one out. Washington manager Manny Acta brought in long reliever Jesus Colome, but the move didn't pay off.

Colome got banged around as the Marlins added four runs once he came in.

Luis Gonzalez moved up to 18th on the all-time list with his 574th career double, which scored three (Hermida, Ramirez and Uggla). Gonzalez then crossed the plate on Matt Treanor's liner past Guzman and into center.

''I got a pretty good pitch to handle,'' Gonzalez said. ``He came in with a fastball. I was looking for something to elevate.''