Boone, Willingham lead Marlins past Braves in series finale <h3>FLORIDA 7, ATLANTA 4</h3>ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Aaron Boone homered and Josh Willinghamdrove in two runs as the Florida Marlins posted a 7-4 victoryover the Atlanta Braves in the finale of their four-game seriesWednesday afternoon. The Marlins entered hostile Turner Field - a place that had notbeen kind to them - with a 4-3 record on their season-high11-game trip. Florida had lost six of nine here last season andtrailed 39-73 in the all-time series coming into Wednesday'smatinee. But thanks to Boone and Willingham, the Marlins took three ofthe four games in the set to win a series in Atlanta for justthe second time since the 2002 campaign. "It was big," Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla said. "Anytimeyou come into someone else's park and take three out of four ortwo out of three, it's a big series." In the first, Willingham gave Florida a 2-0 advantage with atwo-run double to score Alfredo Amezaga and Uggla, who bothsingled to lead off the inning. Boone provided the spark during a three-run third. Ugglastroked a leadoff double and stole third base. After Willinghamwalked, Jeremy Hermida lofted a sacrifice fly, plating Ugglaand setting the stage for Boone's two-run blast off starter KyleDavies (3-4) to make it 5-0. "It was a hanging slider and I got a good piece of it," saidBoone, who finished with six RBI in the series. "I was able toknock the (tar) out of it. It's nice to (hit a homer). And toget a win, makes it even nicer." "It was a slider I just hung," Davies said. "It was one where Iwas just trying to throw a strike. It slid over the plate." Florida added two insurance runs in the eighth as pinch hitterJoe Borchard and Amezaga both delivered run-scoring singles toextend the lead to 7-2. With the win, the Marlins finished their 11-game trip tying afranchise record with seven wins. It was their best showingaway from home since going 7-5 on a 12-game trip June 13-26,2005. "It was a good series for us," Boone said. "This was a good wayto end the trip. We think we have a good team. It's about usplaying good baseball." Marlins starter Scott Olsen labored through 4 1/3 innings,allowing two runs and four hits with four strikeouts and aseason high-tying five walks. The lefthander exited after getting into a jam in the fifth. Olsen walked pinch hitter Pete Orr and Kelly Johnson. One outlater, Jeff Francoeur hit a two-run double to finally get theBraves on the board and chase Olsen. But Justin Miller (1-0) shut the door on the Atlanta rally. Therighthander retired Andruw Jones and Matt Diaz to end the threatand worked around two hits in the sixth to record his first winsince September 8, 2004. "I was just trying to get hitters out, and get our guys off thefield," Miller said. "I'm glad we won." Atlanta plated two more runs in the eighth when TaylorTankersley allowed a two-out single to Kelly Johnson. Marlinscloser Kevin Gregg relieved Tankersley and allowed a single torookie Yunel Escobar to load the bases. But Gregg inducedFrancoeur to ground out to end the threat and record his ninthsave. "It was a slider middle away," Gregg said of the pitch."(Francoeur) hit it right off the end of the bat." Atlanta stranded 12 runners on base. "We didn't pitch good in the first three innings," Bravesmanager Bobby Cox said. "You're not going to (come back) everynight. That's why there's a pitcher on each team." Davies allowed five runs and six hits in five innings to drop to0-4 with a 9.53 ERA in seven games against Florida. "I'm not as aggressive as I want to be," Davies said. "Thepitches I threw in the fourth and fifth were thrown with moreconviction. I want to begin the game like that. I've got to getout of my own way. It's a lot easier said than done." Scott Thorman had three hits for Atlanta, which has lost five ofsix at home.
