MIAMI(AP) -- A steady rain and the Washington Nationals combined
to dampen Florida's playoff hopes.

John Lannan won for the first time in seven starts and Pete Orr
hit his first home run of the season, leading Washington over
the Marlins 7-2 in a rain-shortened game Sunday.

The game was called after a 53-minute delay in the bottom of the
ninth inning. The Marlins had a runner on base with nobody out.

Rain also halted play for 2 hours, 10 minutes in the sixth.

Lannan (9-11) allowed one run and six hits in five innings. He
did not return after the first delay. It was his first win since
Aug. 5, also against Florida.

"I'm pretty happy with today," Lannan said. "I wish the rain
didn't come but I'm glad we got the win. I was locating my
fastball, my curveball felt good today. The Marlins are a good
team. Taking two of three from them is big for us."

The Marlins, who had won four of five, remained 5 1/2 games
behind Colorado for the NL wild card. The Rockies lost 7-3 at
San Diego.

Last-place Washington won for the third time in four games.

"We know we are not going anywhere in the standings, but the
guys are playing with intensity, they are playing hard and I
appreciate that," Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said. "Just
some great individual efforts."

Florida starter Chris Volstad (9-12) gave up five runs - four
earned - and five hits over three innings while walking five. It
was his 28th start of the season, but first since being recalled
from Triple-A New Orleans on Tuesday. It also was his third
consecutive loss at the major league level.

"Five walks in three innings is not me. That's definitely
trouble," Volstad said.

The Nationals scored three runs in the first, aided by a Marlins
defensive gaffe.

Willie Harris walked and Ian Desmond singled to put runners on
first and second with no outs. Cristian Guzman hit a soft
grounder and second baseman Dan Uggla missed the tag on Desmond
before making a high throw to first for an error.

Harris scored on a wild pitch, and Elijah Dukes' two-run single
made it 3-0.

Jorge Cantu singled in Hanley Ramirez, who had singled and stole
second, in the bottom half.

The Nationals stretched their lead to 5-1 on Orr's two-run homer
off Volstad in the third. Orr, who played for Washington in
2008, was called up from Triple-A Syracuse on Aug. 28.

"He was struggling with his command," Orr said. "He left the
ball a little bit up and I took advantage."

Guzman singled in Harris in the fourth off reliever Andrew
Miller to make it 6-1. Orr scored on a groundout in the fifth.

Cody Ross singled in Uggla in the eighth to make it 7-2.

"Tough series for us. Definitely not what we wanted," said Ross,
adding that the rain wasn't a factor in the loss. "When you're
losing the whole time it just makes it miserable. The steady
rain just compounds that terrible feeling you have inside."

Tyler Clippard pitched two scoreless innings and Jason Bergmann
allowed one run in one-plus inning of relief for Washington
before the game was called.

NOTES: Dukes has reached base safely in 17 consecutive games. He
returned to the lineup after missing Saturday's game with a
stiff lower back. ... Justin Maxwell hit two solo homers as
Duke's replacement Saturday and remained in the starting lineup
Sunday. ... Ryan Zimmerman and Josh Willingham were both given
Sunday off "to clear their heads," Riggleman said. ... Ramirez's
streak without an error at SS ended at 56. ... Ramirez needs one
RBI for his first 100-RBI season.