Erick Fedde pitched six scoreless innings as his Washington Nationals defeated the host Miami Marlins 5-0 in Friday's opening game of a doubleheader.

Will Harris pitched a scoreless seventh to close out the game for the last-place Nationals.

The Marlins, who are attempting to make the playoffs for the first time since winning the World Series in 2003, have lost three of their past four games.

Fedde (2-2) picked up his first win since Aug. 14, holding the Marlins to just one hit -- a fourth-inning single by Jesus Aguilar. Fedde struck out six and walked two.

The Nationals defeated rookie sensation Sixto Sanchez (3-2), who had the worst game of his young major league career. In a career-low four innings, he allowed career highs in hits (eight) and runs (five). He also struck out a career-low two batters.

Washington's batters got to Sanchez by attacking him early in the count, primarily punching ground balls for opposite-field hits.

Sanchez, who started the game with a 1.69 ERA, departed with his ERA at 2.75.

Yan Gomes and Luis Garcia each had two hits against Sanchez.

Washington opened the scoring in the second, swinging early at Sanchez fastballs ranging from 95 to 97 mph while producing four straight hits.

Three of those hits came on the first or second pitch as the Nationals grabbed a 2-0 lead on Garcia's RBI double over the head of left fielder Corey Dickerson and Carter Kieboom's run-scoring single down the first base line. Dickerson saved more damage by throwing Eric Thames out at third in the middle of that rally.

The Nationals stretched their lead to 5-0 in the fourth, following a similar pattern. Gomes singled on a first-pitch fastball to start the rally. After Garcia singled and Kieboom walked, Andrew Stevenson hit a two-run single on a first-pitch changeup, and Victor Robles hit an RBI single on a 1-1 fastball.

Miami's biggest threat came in the first inning as Starling Marte reached on a fielder's choice and then stole second and third with two outs. But Matt Joyce flied out to end the inning.

The Marlins never got another runner past second base.

--Field Level Media