Marlins lose to Nats 9-4, eliminated from playoff race WASHINGTON (wesm) - (AP) The Florida Marlins' playoff hopes officially ended Tuesday night at the hands of a team that is simply trying to avoid 100 losses.

Alberto Gonzalez went 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs, and Shairon Martis got his first major league win as the Washington Nationals broke a five-game losing streak with a 9-4 win over the Marlins.

The Marlins' fourth straight loss, coupled with the New York Mets' 6-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs, mathematically eliminated Florida from the wild-card race. © Copyright 2009, wesm