MIAMI (AP) — Garret Anderson’s first three RBIs this season helped the Atlanta Braves end a four-game losing streak Wednesday night by beating the Florida Marlins 8-6.

Chipper Jones and Omar Infante drove in two runs apiece, and Derek Lowe (4-1) won his third start in a row despite giving up six runs in five innings.

Florida’s Jorge Cantu tied a career high with five RBIs. He doubled twice and hit a three-run homer.

Anderson, acquired in the offseason, came off the disabled list Tuesday after missing 12 games with a strained quadriceps. The longtime Angels star drove in the first run with a groundout in the first inning, hit a two-run single in the second and finished 1 for 4, raising his average to .182.

Four Atlanta relievers shut out Florida over the final four innings. Mike Gonzalez pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save in five chances.

The Marlins extended a club-record streak of 19 consecutive games without a win by a starting pitcher. During that span the starters are 0-9.

Rookie Graham Taylor (0-2) likely earned himself a ticket to the minors, lasting only 2 1-3 innings. He allowed eight runs, four earned, and his ERA rose to 8.18.

The Marlins began the game out of first place in the NL East for the first time since the season started, and they played like also-rans. An error by third baseman Emilio Bonifacio helped Atlanta score four unearned runs in the second, and for the second night in a row, Florida had a runner picked off by the catcher.

Lowe gave up seven hits and three walks but turned one hard-hit ball into an out by earning an assist with his foot. Hanley Ramirez’s drive up the middle deflected off Lowe’s right foot to first baseman Yunel Escobar, who made the putout.

The Marlins led 3-1 before Bonifacio’s lapse. Jeff Francoeur and David Ross singled to start the inning, and with one out, Bonifacio mishandled a sacrifice bunt by Lowe to load the bases. Infante hit a sacrifice fly, Escobar singled home a run and Anderson hit a two-out, two-run single.

The Braves made it 8-3 with three more runs in the third on an RBI single by Infante and a two-out, two-run single by Jones.

Florida scored three in the first when Cameron Maybin walked, Ramirez singled and Cantu hit his eighth homer.

Cantu doubled home a run in the third and another in the fifth. He is 7 for 8 lifetime against Lowe.

Infante led off the game with single, took third on a double by Jones and came home on Anderson’s groundout.

Notes: Marlins LHP Andrew Miller (oblique strain) made a rehabilitation start Wednesday for Single-A Jupiter and allowed one run in four innings while throwing 60 pitches. He’s scheduled to start Monday for Double-A Jacksonville and could then rejoin the Marlins’ rotation. ... Maybin is 1-for-23 with runners in scoring position. ... TV producer Ken Burns threw out the first pitch.

You must be logged in to comment.