Uggla drives in six; Cabrera hits monster HR in win

Marlins 12, Nationals 6

MIAMI (AP) -- Wes Obermueller was rewarded for giving the Florida Marlins some much-needed innings in his return to the major leagues.

Dan Uggla homered twice and drove in a career-high six runs, and Obermueller earned his first major league victory in almost two years to lead the Marlins to a 12-6 win over the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

Miguel Cabrera hit a drive into the upper deck and Josh Willingham also homered for Florida. Uggla had three hits.

"It was another dream come true," Obermueller said."This is what you work for all that time, to get back."

Obermueller (1-0) allowed two runs and four hits in six-plus innings. He walked four and struck out five. Kevin Gregg pitched three innings to earn his first save.

"We won the game and gave the bullpen a rest," manager Fredi Gonzalez said."[Obermueller and Gregg] knew what was at stake."

Obermueller had not pitched in the majors since Sept. 17, 2005, with Milwaukee and his previous win came on May 17, 2005, at Washington. The right-hander spent 2006 with Triple-A Richmond in Atlanta's farm system and Orix of the Japanese League.

"They critique you real hard over in Japan, so you have to have more inner strength," Obermueller said."That's one thing I've needed."

Washington's Jerome Williams (0-4) gave up 10 runs, nine earned, and nine hits in six innings. He walked four and struck out two.

"I told him before the game, we needed seven innings, I need an effort," Nationals manager Manny Acta said."That's why I appreciate what the kid did. I told him I felt sorry that he had to take it for us, but he did take it for us. That's good. That's a good sign."

Ryan Zimmerman hit his first career grand slam in the ninth inning for the Nationals, his first homer of the season. Jesus Flores had a two-run double in the seventh.

Cabrera homered with one out in the third to give Florida a 4-0 lead. Cabrera's fifth home run traveled an estimated 467 feet and came on an 0-2 pitch. He was in the lineup after missing two games with a stiff right torso.

"I wanted to go in," Williams said."I actually got part of the plate, he put that ball in the upper deck. It's just mental. A mental mistake."

Uggla's three-run homer in the fourth increased Florida's lead to 7-0. Uggla's 466-foot homer was his second this season and followed Obermueller's double and a walk to Hanley Ramirez.

"It's probably not the last time Miguel's going to beat me in a home run distance contest," Uggla said.

Uggla's third homer was a two-run shot in the eighth.

The Marlins went ahead 10-0 on Willingham's two-run homer in the sixth.

Acta pulled CF Ryan Church from the game in the second for "not running hard" on a groundout to lead off the second. "I got his message -- loud and clear," Church said. ... Ramirez has hit safely in nine straight games. ... Gregg's save was his first since April 23, 2004, while with the Angels. ... Flores had two doubles, his first hits in the majors.