BY GEORGE RICHARDS
Dan Uggla didn't like the feel of the pink bat he used in his first plate appearance Sunday afternoon, going back to his regular model for the remainder of the game.
However, Jeremy Hermida liked his bat so much he is going to try to use it again Monday.
Regardless of the color, Uggla and Hermida used their bats well, both hitting home runs in the eighth inning -- for Uggla, it was his second of the game -- to lift the Marlins to a 5-4 victory over Washington at Nationals Park and giving Florida the best record in the major leagues.
The Marlins (23-14) gained big-league supremacy -- although it is only May -- when the Diamondbacks (23-15) lost to the Cubs (22-15) and the Red Sox (24-16) were beaten by the Twins.
For a young team with low expectations, it was an achievement any mother would be proud of. And many of Florida's players participated in Major League Baseball's annual cancer-awareness campaign on Mother's Day by using the pink-stained lumber that worked so well for Hermida.
''I used them all day,'' said Hermida, whose mother attended the game. ``I was going to give it a couple at-bats to see if it worked, and it worked in my second, so I stuck with it. I'm going to try and use it again. I don't know if they'll let us, but I'm going to try.''
In coming from behind, Florida earned its seventh win in a row and eighth in its past nine games. The Marlins swept the Nationals for the second time at Nationals Park this season, and they are unbeaten in six games at Washington's new park.
Florida has swept its past two opponents and visits Cincinnati for four games starting Monday.
''We're playing well,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said. ``We've been in ball games even when we've been down early, and with this club we have a chance to put a big number up if we can get someone on base with a walk, an error, whatever.''
The Marlins have dominated the Nationals this season, taking eight of nine, but for much of Sunday's game, the home team held the edge. Florida opened the scoring in the second after Uggla was hit by a pitch, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Wes Helms. But the Marlins trailed by three after surrendering two runs in the third.
PICKING UP OLSEN
Starter Scott Olsen didn't have his best stuff and, despite a quick, six-pitch first inning, said he labored through the game. Olsen gave up a solo homer to former Marlin Aaron Boone in the second and a two-run shot to Ronnie Belliard in the third. Later in the third, Boone drove in another run on a ball Alfredo Amezaga struggled with, allowing Boone to reach third base and Ryan Zimmerman to come home and make it 4-1.
Olsen gave up four runs and six hits in six innings.
''We were able to get through it. It was a battle all the way,'' said Olsen, who was in line for his second loss of the season before Florida's hot bats bailed him out.
``It was like that from the first pitch. I've said it before: Our offense is going to carry us. [The Nationals] were all over everything I threw up there, especially [Boone]. I just tried to keep mixing the best I could and keep everything down best I could. I just wanted to give us a chance in the end.''
The Nationals led 4-1 until the sixth, when Uggla hit a solo home run to center field with two outs. Uggla has seven home runs since being moved down in the order nine games ago, something he said is only coincidence.
''I don't think where you hit in the lineup is going to make you hit more homers, more doubles, anything,'' said Uggla, reiterating what he said when initially moved down from second in the order. ``It's a matter of where [the manager] wants to hit you.''
Logan Kensing came on in the seventh, and he got the victory after holding serve and giving Florida's bats another shot at the two-run deficit in the eighth. Washington starter Shawn Hill was good for much of the day, but he wasn't around in the eighth, turning the game over to Luis Ayala.
The Marlins appreciated the change.
NO RELIEF FOR NATS
Amezaga had an infield hit to lead off the eighth, hustling down the line after grounding sharply to first. Boone struggled with the grounder but probably would have made the play had Ayala not hesitated coming off the mound to cover the bag. With Amezaga at first, Hermida homered to right, hitting the ball flush and getting a Mother's Day homer to match the one he hit last Father's Day.
The home run was Hermida's first since he hit two April 11 in Houston.
''I was waiting for the right situation,'' Hermida said with a smile.
With two outs in the eighth, Uggla stepped in and belted his second home run of the afternoon, this one following the same flight path as Hermida's. With Uggla across and Florida holding a lead, Renyel Pinto came in and efficiently retired the Nationals in the bottom of the inning.
Closer Kevin Gregg walked Lastings Milledge to lead off the ninth but got the next three outs for his seventh save of the season.
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