MIAMI _ This is the offense the Miami Marlins have been looking for.
String together quality at-bats. Scratch home a few runs. Be tough outs at the plate. Be aggressive on the basepaths.
It all came together on Saturday.
The Marlins put up runs early against Washington Nationals starter Max Scherzer, responded each time the Nationals attempted to rallied and backed up Jose Urena's second consecutive quality start with a 9-3 win at Marlins Park to clinch their first series of the season.
The Marlins (6-15) tagged Scherzer for seven runs (six earned) off 11 hits _ five of which went for extra bases _ and had consistent approaches at the plate all night. Brian Anderson, Curtis Granderson, Starlin Castro and Miguel Rojas each had multi-hit outings. Scherzer lasted just 5 1/3 innings.
The Marlins jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first after Granderson led off with a single and came home on an Anderson double two batters later. Castro then drove home Anderson with a line-drive single to left.
The Nationals (9-10) attempted to rally, tying the game twice, but the Marlins immediately responded each time.
When the Nationals tied it 2-2 in the third, Castro ripped another RBI single to score Martin Prado in the bottom half of the inning. When they tied it 3-3 in the fifth, Granderson hit a home run to left to give the Marlins the lead for good.
The Marlins added three more runs in the sixth on two big plays. With Rojas on third and Isaac Galloway on second, pinch-hitter Rosell Herrera slapped a ground ball barely in front of home plate. Scherzer's underhand throw home went behind catcher Yan Gomes as Rojas slid in safely. Galloway scored on the error, and Herrera reached second base. One batter later, Granderson then hit a deep fly ball to center field. Victor Robles crashed into the wall making the catch. Herrera scored from second base.
Anderson scored on a wild pitch in the seventh and Jon Berti _ who the Marlins called up earlier in the day _ scored on a Neil Walker RBI fielder's choice in the eighth to close scoring.
Urena, meanwhile, pitched six solid innings to earn his first win of the season. He scattered eight hits while giving up three runs (two earned) and striking out four. He walked one batter and hit another.
Adam Conley, Tyler Kinley and Tayron Guerrero closed the game on the mound with three scoreless innings.
