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ATLANTA (AP) – The Florida Marlins finally proved they could win a one-run game. Vladimir Nunez just wanted to show he could win, no matter what the score. Nunez allowed only four hits in seven innings for his first victory in more than a year, 3-2 over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night. Charles Johnson hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh and the shaky Florida bullpen made it stand up, giving the Marlins their first one-run win this season. "That's what we needed," said manager John Boles, whose team was 0-for-5 in those situations. "We needed to win a one-run game to prove we could do it." On a frigid night, Nunez (1-1) picked up his first win since Sept. 28, 1999. He was 0-6 with a 7.90 ERA last year. "I've been looking for that for a long time," Nunez said. "It's like you have some kind of tension in your body and your mind. Now, it's like I'm completely relaxed." The Marlins' bullpen, 0-6 with a 5.20 ERA through 12 games, made things exciting but got the job done. In the eighth, Armando Almanza threw eight straight balls but actually picked up an out. Rafael Furcal tried to steal third but overslid the bag and was tagged out after Johnson made a pinpoint throw. "I was surprised he went," Johnson said, "especially with a left-handed hitter (Rico Brogna) up there. That gave me a good, clear look to make the throw to third." Braden Looper then retired Chipper Jones and Brian Jordan on infield grounders to end the inning. Antonio Alfonseca got through the ninth for his second save, getting Wes Helms on a grounder for the final out with a runner at second. John Burkett (0-2) lost despite a career-high 11 strikeouts in seven innings. He was cruising along until his 100th pitch, which Johnson sent through a stiff wind into the left-field seats for his third homer of the season. "I didn't think the ball was going anywhere in left field tonight," Burkett said. "He crushed it." The game was played on an unseasonably cold night in Atlanta. The temperature was 48 degrees at the start and the strong wind made it feel downright frigid. Braves catcher Eddie Perez, out for the year with a shoulder injury, huddled in front of a heater in the corner of the dugout, even borrowing the fur cap of a security officer who was sitting next to him. The crowd was announced at 27,522 but there appeared to be no more than 10,000 in the stands by the end. Those who remained huddled under blankets and winter coats. The first inning dragged on for a half-hour, with Burkett throwing 30 pitches and Nunez needing 26 to get through. The Marlins broke through with three straight singles, including Preston Wilson's run-scoring hit that barely got over the glove of Furcal as he leaped at shortstop. Javy Lopez had a passed ball, setting up a sacrifice fly by Mike Lowell that brought home an unearned run. The Braves have allowed three unearned runs in the last two games without being charged with an error. Atlanta's reserve catcher, Paul Bako, had two passed balls on Monday, allowing the Marlins to score twice. Atlanta bounced back in the bottom half of the first. After B.J. Surhoff walked, Jones hit a 1-0 pitch over the wall in right-center for his third homer of the season. Both pitchers settled down after the opening inning. Burkett retired 14 in a row before escaping a jam in the sixth. The Marlins started off with back-to-back singles, but Burkett struck out Wilson and Lowell with the go-ahead run at third. Nunez ran into trouble in the seventh. Andruw Jones led off with a double and moved to third with one out on a balk. The Braves sent up two straight pinch-hitters, but Keith Lockhart and Dave Martinez both popped out. Before making out, Lockhart failed to get down a squeeze bunt, popping it into the stands. "I felt good with the way I pitched," Burkett said. "(Nunez) pitched a little better. I made the mistake. He didn't." Game notesMarcus Giles, the younger brother of Pittsburgh star Brian Giles, started at second base in his first major-league appearance. He went 0-for-2. ... Burkett's previous career high of 10 strikeouts was set three times before, most recently on Sept. 20, 1995 when he was a member of the Marlins. ... Florida's Alex Gonzalez went 0-for-4, ending an eight-game hitting streak. ... Chipper Jones sprained the big toe on his left foot running out a grounder in the eighth inning. He will likely miss Wednesday's game but hopes to return to the lineup for Friday's game at Philadelphia.  Send this story to a friend
| RECAPS Cleveland 8 Baltimore 1
Florida 3
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