MLB: Washington 6, Florida 3

WASHINGTON, June 5 (UPI) -- Ryan Church unloaded a three-run homer in the eighth inning Sunday to lift Washington past the Florida Marlins, 6-3, for a three-game sweep.

It also moved the Nationals into first place in the National League over the Atlanta Braves. It was their seventh win in the last eight contests. Florida now has dropped ten of twelve and the setback dropped them into last place in the division.

Paul Lo Duca had three hits and one RBI for Florida. Florida's A.J. Burnett surrendered three runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Nationals' starting pitcher John Patterson yielded one run and seven hits over six innings.