Nats rally from 6-run deficit to win fifth in row

WASHINGTON — Ryan Zimmerman finished a double short of the cycle, and Ronnie Belliard’s tiebreaking single in the eighth inning helped Washington rally from a six-run deficit and beat the Florida Marlins 12-8 on Thursday.

The Nationals broke an 8-all tie with four runs in the eighth, completing a series sweep and winning their season-best fifth straight game. Jorge Sosa (1-0) got out of an eighth-inning jam and pitched the ninth to earn the win.

Washington also scored six runs in the eighth inning for a 6-4 victory on Tuesday.

Cristian Guzman started the go-ahead rally with a walk to lead off the eighth, and Nyjer Morgan sacrificed him to second before Belliard singled to center off Luis Ayala (1-4). Belliard followed with an RBI single to center for a 9-8 lead.

Zimmerman added an RBI triple to give Washington a 10-8 edge, his fourth hit of the game to go with two singles, a homer and a walk. Elijah Dukes hit an RBI single, and the Nationals scored another run on Brendan Donnelly’s balk.

Dukes finished with three hits and drove in four runs, and Belliard had a pair of hits and scored twice for the Nationals. Josh Bard also drove in a run.

Florida couldn’t hold early leads of 6-0 and 8-3, which the Marlins built on three hits in the first five innings by Hanley Ramirez and John Baker’s two-run homer.

Alberto Gonzalez sparked Washington with a two-run double in the fourth, and Zimmerman added a two-run shot in the fifth as the Nationals cut the lead to 8-7. Dukes then tied it with a solo homer in the seventh off Brian Sanches, setting up the four-run eighth inning.

Washington starter Craig Stammen lasted just 1 2-3 innings, and interim manager Jim Riggleman used seven pitchers. Riggleman had said before the game that he wouldn’t use Mike MacDougal as the closer after he pitched four straight days.

NOTES: Zimmerman extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a first-inning single. … The Nationals went 7 for 12 with runners in scoring position. … Baker’s homer was his first since July 3. … Marlins starter Josh Johnson made his first career pinch-hitting appearance, drawing a walk in the sixth. Johnson homered in Tuesday’s 6-4 loss to Washington.