Promotion » o reached base four times. "We grinded

MIAMI -- The postgame scene in the Washington Nationals clubhouse included a smoke machine, strobe lights and blaring music, which created an atmosphere akin to a South Beach nightclub. Following a woeful weekend, the Nationals had something to celebrate Monday. Jordan Zimmermann became the first starter to pitch seven innings this season for the Nationals, and they totalled 11 extra-base hits to beat the slumping Miami Marlins 9-2. The rout came after the Nationals were swept in a three-game series at Atlanta. "That was a tough weekend, but they responded," manager Matt Williams said. "They came out today and played hard." The Marlins endured their eighth loss in a row. "The only way we can get out of this thing is somebody needs to step up, go out there and say, Its over, Im done with it," manager Mike Redmond said. "We either need a big pitching performance or a big hit or a big play to spark us to get us going. Those guys understand that, and hopefully it will come Tuesday." Bryce Harper had two doubles and an RBI triple for Washington. He has batted .520 over his past seven games to boost his average to .348. Harper came out of the game as a precaution in seventh inning after he slipped running the bases. He said he has been nursing a sore thigh muscle. "It has been tight since Friday, but nothing too serious," Harper said. "Im ready to go Tuesday." Catcher Sandy Leon hit his first career home run, while Tyler Moore also homered and had an RBI single. Anthony Rendon drove in three runs with a double and a triple, and Danny Espinosa doubled and tripled. "It was a fun night," Moore said in the smoke-filled clubhouse. "We needed that after three tough losses in a row. Were just trying to turn the page. We swung the bats good, and Jordan pitched great." Zimmermann (1-0) bounced back from the shortest start of his career. After lasting only 1 2-3 innings when he gave up five runs against Miami last week, he lowered his ERA from 8.10 to 5.27, allowing two runs while striking out seven. "It was a lot better today," he said. "I was getting ahead with the fastball. When Im able to get ahead, I can throw everything else where I want and when I want. When I fall behind, thats when I run into trouble." The right-hander gave up a homer to Garrett Jones but tied the Nationals record of 44 career victories set by Livan Hernandez. Zimmermann also had two of the Nationals season-high 16 hits. "A lot of guys on our team are swinging it well," Harper said. "Its contagious. Everybody is hitting it. It goes one through eight -- even one through nine." The Nationals improved to 4-0 this year against the Marlins and have outscored them 31-10. Washington started fast against Brad Hand after being swept in a three-game series at Atlanta last weekend. Jayson Werth missed a home run by inches when he doubled off the top of the wall with two out in the first, and Harper followed with an RBI single. Moore skipped a ball off the top of the wall into the Marlins bullpen for a homer in the second. Rendon hit a two-run double later in the inning to make it 4-0. Hand (0-1) fell to 1-11 in his career as a starter. He lasted only three innings while allowing five runs and five extra-base hits. Things are going so bad for the Marlins they brought in closer Steve Cishek trailing by seven runs in the ninth because he needed the work. It likely wont get any easier for the Marlins on Tuesday, when they face Stephen Strasburg. He beat them last week and began this week leading the NL in strikeouts. NOTES: Nationals RHP Doug Fister (back muscle) threw 50 pitches in a bullpen session and said he felt good afterward. The next step for him is a simulated game. ... Nationals OF Nate McLouth missed his second start in a row because of a sore left knee. ... With a left-hander pitching for Miami, 1B Adam LaRoche sat out for the first time this season. ... Marlins OF Marcell Ozuna was held out of the starting lineup after bruising his foot when he fouled a ball off it Sunday. ... INF Rafael Furcal (hamstring) began a rehabilitation assignment Monday that is expected to last three weeks, meaning he wont join the Marlins until early May. ... Marlins 1B Garrett Jones is a fan of pro wrestling, and his new theme song when he bats is a tune used by The Ultimate Warrior, who died last week. Wholesale Cubs Jerseys . Speaking with TSN 1050 following Brendan Shanahans introductory press conference, the Leafs GM also addressed the clubs perceived leadership issues and the type of working relationship that can be expected within Torontos front office. Cheap Kosuke Fukudome Jersey . Everton Preview West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has been around the game long enough to not get too high when things are going well and not get too low when they arent. http://www.cheapcubsjerseysshop.com/ . The punch happened in the fourth quarter of Milwaukees 116-102 loss to the Kings on Wednesday when the two players became entangled while battling for rebounding position. Cheap Cubs Jerseys . Heavily-criticized after allowing a dozen goals on 58 shots in two games in Boston, Luongo continued his dominance at home. Hes now allowed two goals in three home games in this series. Cheap Billy Williams Jersey .com) - The New York Islanders will try to solve their issues against Central Division opponents when they visit the Minnesota Wild for Tuesdays battle at Xcel Energy Center.ST. LOUIS -- The Atlanta Braves used a two-run rally in the ninth to end their road trip with a win. Ryan Doumit scored on a wild pitch and the Braves got two runs in the ninth inning to rally past the St. Louis Cardinals for a 6-5 win. The Braves have been held to two runs or fewer 19 times, but they managed to score twice off St. Louis closer Trevor Rosenthal (0-2) to take the game Sunday. "We got a happy flight," said Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman, who reached base four times. "We grinded all day and so did the offensive hitters. We never caved today and we gut one out in the ninth." Freeman started a ninth-inning rally with a leadoff single off St. Louis closer Trevor Rosenthal (0-2). With two outs, Freeman went to third on pinch hitter Ryan Doumits double to right. Rosenthal intentionally walked pinch hitter Evan Gattis to load the bases and then walked Jordan Schafer to force in the tying run. Carlos Martinez relieved Rosenthal and had a wild pitch while facing Ramiro Pena that scored Doumit to make it 6-5. "A battle royal there at the end," Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We just kept getting good at-bats and its nice to win this one. Maybe it will get us going in the right direction." St. Louis dropped a game it was close to winning. "It would have been a big win, no question," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. "Theyre all tough, but to have a lead in the ninth, even a slim one, that a tough one to lose." Dan Carpenter (3-0) pitched 1 1-3 innings of scoreless relief for the win. Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth for his 11th save in 13 chances. The save was the 150th of Kimbrels career. Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia pitched seven innings in his first outing in more than a year. Garcia, who underwent surgery in May 2013 to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff in his pitching shoulder, allowed four runs and five hits with five strikeouts.dddddddddddd. The outing was Garcias 100th appearance in the major leagues, but first since May 17, 2013. "I made some good pitches, I made some mistakes," Garcia said. "I had some butterflies going on in the first inning, but nothing different." Kolten Wong drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double in the second inning. Freeman went 3 for 3, including a solo home run in the first and a two-run single in the sixth. Justin Upton homered leading off the fourth for the Braves. The homer was the 10th for Upton, who also doubled and scored two runs. "Its big," Freeman said. "I dont know if you can say a must win, but its definitely nice to get one." The Braves failed twice to close out innings due to defensive miscues with two outs. That allowed the Cardinals to score four runs. With two outs in the seventh and Yadier Molina on first, Jhonny Peralta hit a high fly ball to centre field. Schaefer lost the ball in the sun and it fell just to his right side. Peralta was credited with a double and Molina scored to give the Cardinals a 5-4 lead. In the second inning, Braves starter Gavin Floyd appeared headed for an easy second inning when he struck out Peter Bourjos for what would have been the third out. But the ball got away from catcher Gerald Laird for a passed ball, allowing Bourjos to reach first. A hit by Garcia and a walk to Matt Carpenter loaded the bases and Wong cleared them with a double down the line in left to make it 3-1. Atlanta rallied to tie the game 4-4 on Freemans two-run single with one out in the sixth. NOTES: Molina extended his hitting streak to seven games with a fifth-inning single. ... Atlantas Dan Uggla went 0 for 3, dropping his average to .178. Uggla has just two hits in his past 29 at-bats. ... Pat Neshek got one out in the eighth inning to extend his scoreless streak to 13 2-3 innings. 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