Marlins 5, Nationals 4

5/11/2008 5:23 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) -Dan Uggla has no explanation for his sudden power surge.

Uggla's second home run on Sunday was a go-ahead drive in the eighth inning that lifted the Florida Marlins to their seventh straight win, 5-4 over the Washington Nationals.

Uggla had seven RBIs and three homers in the final two games of Florida's three-game series sweep; he hit a grand slam and had five RBIs Saturday.

``I'm not good at analyzing and knowing what's going right or anything like that,'' said Uggla, who has 11 homers this season. ``I'm just trying to stay aggressive, and that's about all I can tell you.''

The Marlins have relied on the homer all season, and Sunday was no different. Trailing 4-2 in the eighth, Jeremy Hermida hit a two-run shot off Luis Ayala (1-3) and Uggla added his drive for Florida's 53rd home run this season, second in the majors behind Philadelphia's 54 entering Sunday.

Florida starter Scott Olsen, who gave up six hits and four runs in six innings, said he didn't have his usual stuff, but knew the offense would bail him out.

``Four runs for us can happen in a blink of an eye,'' Olsen said. ``Once they got four runs, I figured that was about it - that was as far as I could stretch them before we got the game out of hand. Our offense, all year they've been picking us up and they continued to do it today.''

The Marlins won all six of their games at Nationals Park, which opened this season, and their seven-game win streak overall is their best run since winning nine straight in August 2006.

Logan Kensing (2-0) pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the win, and Kevin Gregg worked the ninth for his seventh save in eight chances.

Washington's Aaron Boone had a homer, triple and single with two RBIs in the loss.

``Everyone ought to be a little ticked off right now - anytime someone comes in and sweeps you,'' Boone said.

The Nationals took their first lead of the three-game series in the third inning. Ronnie Belliard hit a two-run homer, his second of the season, to give Washington a 3-1 lead. Ryan Zimmerman followed with an infield single and then scored when Boone tripled.

Shawn Hill allowed two runs on five hits and struck out three in seven innings for the Nationals, but got a no-decision for the fifth time in five starts this season.

``He kept us off balance and off the bases most of the day,'' Hermida said. ``He threw real well. Fortunately, we were able to get to that bullpen and take advantage of it when we did.''

Alfredo Amezaga led off the eighth against Ayala with an infield single. The next batter, Hermida hit a tying two-run home run to right-center.

Then with two outs, Uggla put the Marlins ahead with a shot over the out-of-town scoreboard in right field. Uggla homered to left-center in the fifth inning.

``This one is a little more discouraging because everything goes through your fingers in one inning,'' Washington manager Manny Acta said.

Uggla scored the Marlins' first run in the second inning. After being hit by a pitch, he advanced to third on a bloop single by Luis Gonzalez, and then came home on Wes Helms' sacrifice fly to center.

Boone tied the game at 1 in the bottom half with a leadoff home run.

Notes: Florida 1B Mike Jacobs missed his fourth game with a strained left quad. Manager Fredi Gonzalez said Jacobs may be ready to play Monday in Cincinnati Florida OF Josh Willingham, on the 15-day DL with a strained lower back, had his rehab assignment postponed by a couple of days after feeling tightness Saturday, Gonzalez said. The Nationals optioned LHP Mike O'Connor to Triple-A Columbus and recalled RHP Chris Schroder from the Clippers after the game OF Elijah Dukes made his first start for the Nationals since opening day. Dukes, who had been sidelined until Friday with a hamstring injury, was 0-for-4 Several players on both teams used pink bats in a league-wide effort to celebrate Mother's Day and raise breast cancer awareness. Hermida said after his big day, he wanted to keep using the pink bat. ``I don't know if they'll let us, but I'll try,'' he said.