Marlins-Nationals Preview

5/11/2008 12:14 AM

By MIKE VOTTA
STATS Senior Writer

The Florida Marlins are one of the biggest surprises in baseball - and starter Scott Olsen has been a big part of their fast start.

Olsen will be trying to lead the Marlins to their second straight series sweep on Sunday when they wrap up their three-game set with Washington at Nationals Park.

Florida (22-14) won its sixth straight game on Saturday, thumping the Nationals 11-0. The Marlins, who swept a three-game home series with Milwaukee before this set, have won seven of eight against the Nationals (15-22) this season and swept three games in Washington April 7-10.

The Marlins are in first place in the NL East, and are eight games above .500 for the first time since Sept. 18, 2005. The six-game winning streak is their longest since they won nine in a row from Aug. 20-29, 2005.

"I think we have a lot of talent," said second baseman Dan Uggla, who went 2-for-4 with a grand slam and five RBIs. "I think we've got a long ways to go. I think we can continue to get better."

The Marlins are clearly pleased with the direction in which they're headed. Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez has agreed to the framework of a $70 million, six-year contract to remain with the Marlins, a person familiar with the negotiations said Saturday.

"When that happens, I think it's a good message to send for the organization, for the team, for the community," manager Fredi Gonzalez said before Saturday's game. "But nothing is set right now. It's all rumors."

Along with Ramirez, who is hitting .338 with eight homers, 33 runs scored and 21 RBIs, Olsen (4-1, 2.22 ERA) has been a key for Florida.

The 24-year-old left-hander went a career-high 8 2-3 innings and gave up just two hits in Tuesday's 3-0 win over Milwaukee, coming within one out of recording Florida's first nine-inning complete game in two seasons.

Olsen, who lasted at least seven innings for the fifth time in six starts, has rebounded from a rocky 2007, in which he posted a 5.81 ERA - the highest of any qualifying NL starting pitcher.

Along with his on-field woes, Olsen also was arrested on a drunken-driving charge, drew a fine for making an obscene gesture toward fans in Milwaukee, and served a two-game suspension following a confrontation with a teammate.

"A very long year," Olsen says. "I'm just trying to learn from everything. I've gotten my fair share of talks-to by my grandparents and my mom and by other people's parents."

Olsen is 5-3 with a 3.88 ERA in 10 career starts against the Nationals, including a pair of wins already this season.

Washington, which has allowed 31 runs while dropping four of five overall, has been outscored 58-29 by the Marlins in 2008.

"As the pitching goes, we go, I think," third baseman Ryan Zimmerman told the Nationals' official Web site. "That's the way it is with everybody. Look at the team in the other clubhouse. They have been playing well all year because their guys have been throwing well.

Shawn Hill (0-0, 3.86 ERA) will look to give the Nationals a better effort from their starting pitcher in the series finale.

Hill gave up three runs in 5 1-3 innings without getting a decision in the Nationals' 6-5 loss in Houston on Tuesday.

The right-hander is 2-1 with a 3.24 ERA in six career starts against the Marlins. On April 19, he yielded four runs in five innings but escaped without a decision in Washington's 6-5 loss at Florida.