Marlins Win Big on Opening Day 2007

The Florida Marlins got a good start to the 2007 season with a 9-2 win over the Washington Nationals, who were very hospitable to their guests serving up a couple of home run pitches for the Marlins to crash the opener.

Two mammoth home runs, one from Miguel Cabrera and another from Dan Uggla, assured the Marlins victory while Dontrelle Willis worked the plate to keep the Nats from threatening. For Dontrelle, that is 6 IP with 3 K's, 1 BB and allowing only 7 hits in his 2007 debut for the win.

This is also a win for the managerial debut of Fredi Gonzalez, the former farm hand for the Marlins that caught on with the Braves and Bobby Cox's staff in Atlanta. Surely it will be one for him to remember.



The Marlins also got some pretty good performances from Hanley Ramirez, and rookie centerfielder Alejandro de Aza. Ramirez went 4-6 with 1 RBI and 4 runs - he is looking to build upon his ROY campaign of last season.

De Aza was a shock in spring training, as he continued to hit the ball and play an excellent CF while also displaying his lightning speed. Donning #7, the first positional player on the Marlins to do so since Pudge Rodriguez, he put together a great display going 2-4 with a triple and scoring 2 runs.

This was the first opening day in Washington, DC since 1971 - and the Marlins made the best of it.