by Neil Patrick
Brooklyn Sports Network

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Pro Player Stadium R H E Washington Nationals 2 7 0 Florida Marlins 1 6 0 BSN Video -- Boxscore -- Full Story

Miami, FL- After losing the first two games of the 2007 season the Nationals finally carved a notch in the win column, beating the Florida Marlins 2-1 in Miami.  Washington starter Livan Hernadez went six string innings, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out four. Marlins starter Josh Beckett also pitched well, coming out on the short end despite strking out seven over six innings, allowing two runs on six hits.  

Washington scored on a sacrifice fly in the first when Matt Holliday just missed a home run to left and in the fourth on Brad Wilkerson's first homer of 2007, a no-doubter sent to right field. Florida looked as if they'd tie the game in the sixth on Matt Lowell's single to center but after Luis Castillo scored the first run Miguel Cabrera was thrown out by right fielder Jose Guillen's rocket throw. 

With one out in the first Jose Vidro doubled to left center and moved over to third on David Ortiz's followup single. It looked as if Holliday might put a crooked number up early but strong winds kept his drive in the park, settling into Cabrera's glove as the left fielder stood just inches from the 330-foot sign. The shot was deep enough to score Vidro easily and give Washington a 1-0 lead. 

In the fourth Wilkerson got around on a 2-1 pitch and sent it almost 400 feet down the right field line. There was no doubt about it's distance and it was plenty fair to give Washington a 2-0 lead. The Nationals seemed to be hitting a groove when Guillen followed with a long double to right and Brian Schneider singled to left. But Schneider, thinking Guillen would attempt to score, made an attempt for second and was thrown out easily. Shortstop Anastacio Harris had cutoff Cabrera's throw and relayed it to second baseman Luis Castillo in plenty of time to erase Schneider.

The Marlins finally broke through on Hernandez in the sixth. But Luis Castillo worked a one-out walk and Cabrera singled to right to set up Lowell. Lowell smashed a comebasker up the middle that Hernandez just missed. The scorcher found it's way into the outfield quickly where Wilkerson seemed to over run it and somehow dive over it. Guillen joining the play behind him scooped up the ball and fired home. The desperate throw richocheted off the back of the mound and into catcher Schneider's glove with just enough time to tag out Cabrera trying to score. 

After the game Wilkerson said he realized, he was in no position to field and fire the ball home from the angle he apprached it. Guillen, with a better angle and a better arm was in a much better position to use the full weight of his body to heave the ball towards Schneider. The stratgy paid off, preventing the tying run that never came.

Chad Durbin, pitching in his third of three games, relieved Hernandez in the second and threw two innings of shutout one-run ball. In the eighth a lead off single and sacrifice made things interesting but Durbin got Pierre and Castill to ground out harmlessly to end the inning. The spot starter hasn't allowed a run in four innings of work so far. 

In the ninth closer Chad Cordero was called on for the first time of 2007 and delivered ahis first save of the season, but not without a little sweating. After retiring Cabrera on a ground ball Lowell sent a long drive to right that seemed destined to at least get past Guillen's reach if not clear the fence altogether. Guillen ran hard and never stopped running, securing the ball as he hit the wall. Jason Stokes followed with a single but James Mughal ground out to short to end the game. 

Nat Bites: Jose Guillen and Matt Holliday each got their first hits of 2007 after going hitless the first two games. Terrmell Sledge iremains hitless in three pinch hit attempts while all the other regulars have at least one hit.

Shortstop Cristian Guzman's fill-in, Miguel Cairo, played much better defensively than in the previous two games in which he had an error in each. Cairo made nice plays and strong throws in the fifth and seventh innings. At the plate he went 0-for-3 with a walk and strikeout.

Washington expects to have Guzman back for the Marlins visit to RFK on Tuesday which means he will miss the entire home-opener series against the Mets. 

Third Watch: Jamey Carroll played third and went 0-for-5 with a strikeout batting in the leadoff spot but made a few nice plays in the field. Carroll made a long throw in the eighth and two and the ninth to keep Marlins off the bases. .

Fri Apr 6th 7:05PM

NYM LHP K. Ishii (0-0) 0.00 vs. WSH RHP Z. Day (0-0) 0.00

Next Up: The Nationals come to Washington for their home opener against the Mets tomorrow night with festivities and introductions starting at 6:35pm and first pitch at 7:05. Zach Day (2006: 33starts, 12-8 2.58 213.0ip) goes for Washington while Kazuhisa Ishii (2006: 32starts, 11-10 4.19 180.1ip) is penciled in for New York. Saturday's  (7:05pm) probables are Kris Benson (2006: 7starts, 2-2 4.36 31.0ip) and Claudio Vargas (2006:  29starts/4relief, 12-9 3.07 184.2ip) while Sunday's matchup should be Pedro Martinez (2007: 1start 0-1 7.20 5.0ip; 2006: 33starts 15-9 2.89 224.1) against E. Loaiza (2007: 0-0 3.60 5.0ip; 2006: 21-7, 2.21 236.2ip).

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