NL Leasts finish series in South Beach

Sep 12, 2007, 15:24 GMT

- Trying to stay out of the National League East basement, the Washington Nationals wrap a three-game series with the last-place Florida Marlins today at Dolphin Stadium.

Washington took the opener of this set on Monday, but fell in a slugfest, 13-8, yesterday. That loss has the Nationals just three games ahead of the Marlins in the standings.

Mike Jacobs had a two-run homer and five runs batted in, Hanley Ramirez had four hits, including a pair of homers, and Cody Ross also went deep before leaving with a hamstring injury in the fourth inning for the Marlins.

The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for Florida.

Chris Seddon started on the mound, but was roughed up for seven runs on eight hits in just three-plus innings of work. Matt Lindstrom (3-4) got the win for giving up one run on two hits in one inning of action.

Justin Maxwell hit a grand slam for his first career hit while Wily Mo Pena went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored for the Nationals, who lost for the third time in five games.

Mike Bacsik was beat up for five runs on eight hits in just 2 2/3 innings. Chris Schroder (2-2) was handed the loss for allowing two runs in one-plus innings of relief.

Joel Hanrahan will face the Marlins for the first time in his career when he starts today for Washington. In his eighth career start on Friday, Hanrahan allowed five runs (four earned) on four hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings of a loss to the Braves, falling to 4-3 with a 5.63 earned run average.

The right-hander fell to 1-3 with an 8.82 ERA when walking four or more batters. On the other hand, he is 3-0 with a 3.27 ERA when walking three batters or less.

Today's starter for Florida, Byung-Hyun Kim, has won three straight starts and will try to win a career-high 10th game on the season. Kim, who has pitched for Florida, Colorado and Arizona this year, won nine games in 2003 while playing for the Diamondbacks and Red Sox.

Kim improved to 9-6 with a 5.47 ERA on Friday in Philadelphia after tossing six innings of three-run, seven-hit ball. He also fanned seven in the victory.

The right-hander has faced the Nationals organization 16 times in his career, five of those starts, and is 2-3 with two saves and a 5.23 ERA. He is also 0-2 as a starter against them.

The Nationals had won four straight and eight of 10 over the Marlins before yesterday's loss, and are 10-7 against the club this season.

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