Florida @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 28, 2011 ) Florida 5, Washington 2

THE STORY: Coming off their first four-game road sweep since 2009 - and only their second since the franchise moved from Montreal in 2005 - the Washington Nationals are in position for the franchise's best National League East finish since the Expos finished second in 2002. They will try to protect their third-place standing when they head home to face the Florida Marlins for a three-game series starting Friday. The Marlins have lost four straight after they were swept in a doubleheader at Philadelphia on Thursday. It is the first of six meetings over the final two weeks of the season. The teams will play a three-game series in Miami from Sept. 26-28 to close 2011.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Florida, MASN2 (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Javier Vazquez (10-11, 4.13 ERA) vs. Nationals LH John Lannan (9-12, 3.65).

Vazquez has been a different pitcher over the past seven weeks, posting nine consecutive quality starts. He is 4-2 with a 1.95 ERA over that span and has been even more dominant in winning his last three outings. The 35-year-old has allowed only one run over 20 innings in his past three starts with 20 strikeouts and three walks. The streak of quality starts began with a win at Washington on July 27 as he held the Nationals to one run over seven innings. Vazquez is 2-2 with a 4.09 ERA in five starts against the Nationals. Lannan has matched his career-high for wins - he also had nine in 2008 and 2009 - and boasts the best ERA of his career, but has struggled down the stretch. Lannan has lost five of his last six starts, and his last outing was one of his worst of the season. He allowed six runs (four earned) over 2 1/3 innings in a 9-3 loss to Houston. He might not find relief against the Marlins - he is 2-4 with a 5.48 ERA in eight starts against them and is winless in his last four outings against them.

ABOUT THE MARLINS (67-83): The Marlins have been held to one run in each of their four consecutive losses, marking the first time in franchise history they have scored one run or fewer in four consecutive games. Florida is assured of a second consecutive losing season and in danger of its first last-place finish in the NL East since 2007. The sweep Thursday came in spite of two more solid starting pitching performances. Anibal Sanchez allowed two runs over six innings in the opener, and Alex Sanabia gave up one run in six innings in the nightcap.

ABOUT THE NATIONALS (71-77): After finishing a four-game sweep of the New York Mets on Thursday, Washington has five straight wins, its most since an eight-game winning streak from June 10-18. The sweep in New York was the Nationals' first on the road this season. Ian Desmond had a career-high five hits and three RBIs in Thursday's 10-1 victory.

FINAL PITCH: The Nationals had rookie starters earn their first major-league wins on consecutive days to finish the series with the Mets - Brad Peacock on Wednesday and Tommy Milone on Thursday.