WASHINGTON - For the second time in three seasons, the Washington Nationals will head to the post-season with the top seeding in

WASHINGTON - For the second time in three seasons, the Washington Nationals will head to the post-season with the top seeding in the National League. Jean Segura Jersey .They hope they can take advantage of that status this year.The NL East champion Nationals locked up home-field advantage until the World Series by beating the Miami Marlins 4-0 on Doug Fisters three-hitter in the opener of a day-night doubleheader Friday.Miami earned a split by winning the insignificant second game 15-7 with 22 hits, including Kike Hernandezs grand slam and J.T. Realmutos three-run triple. The Marlins hadnt scored at least that many runs since a 16-10 victory over the Nationals on Sept. 1, 2010, according to STATS.Washingtons record was 94-66 at the end of a long day; the last pitch was thrown 9 hours, 35 minutes after the first.Its important to have home-field advantage. If we want to get to where we want to get to, then thats important. So thats accomplished, rookie manager Matt Williams said.Only two regular members of Washingtons lineup, right fielder Jayson Werth and catcher Wilson Ramos, started Fridays second game; both sat out the opener. Werth tripled in the first inning, doubled in the second and singled in the fifth, and the right fielder also threw out Donovan Solano trying to stretch a single into a double. A homer shy of the cycle, Werth was hit by a pitch in the sixth and struck out in the ninth.Was he thinking about needing that homer in his final at-bat?I surely was. ... From T-ball on, I dont think Ive ever hit for the cycle, Werth said. I knew it was available. Especially in a blowout game, definitely wasnt trying to work a walk or anything like that.Taylor Hill (0-1) took the loss in his first major league start, allowing seven runs and 10 hits in 4 2-3 innings, but he also singled for what he said was not only his first hit in the majors but also his first hit ever in professional baseball.Believe it or not, Hill said, I had no hits prior in the minor leagues.A.J. Ramos (7-0) earned the win with a 1-2-3 eighth inning.Earlier, Solano was the only player who got a hit off Fister (16-6) a€” a pair of harmless singles in the first and fourth innings, and a triple with two outs in the ninth. The next batter, Casey McGehee, lined out to diving second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera to end that game.Fister threw 104 pitches, 77 for strikes, and heard a loud ovation when he jogged from the dugout to the mound for the ninth.Obviously some adrenaline, some emotions run through there, the lanky righty said. Its one of those things where you kind of take a second and you soak it in and then you get back to work.Washingtons Anthony Rendon hit a solo shot to left off wild-as-can-be Jarred Cosart (4-4 with the Marlins; 13-11 overall in 2014, including his time with the Astros) in the first for his 21st homer. Cosart walked eight.Fister had zero walks and nine strikeouts in the second shutout of his career.What really mattered, though, was sewing up the home-field edge.That was a big milestone for us, Fister said. Its always nice to be home. Youve got your home fans, weve got our own lockers, our own chairs, whatever it may be. Guys are comfortable here. And that means a lot.Then again, Washington knows full well being the highest-seeded club guarantees nothing. The Nationals led the majors with 98 wins in 2012, but were eliminated in the NL division series by wild-card St. Louis.This year they clinched their division title Sept. 16 and have gone 7-3 since then in the push for the NLs top record.They have everything they need over there to win a World Series, Cosart said.At 77-83, the Marlins could finish anywhere from second to fourth in the NL East, but they know they wont finish last.TRAINERS ROOMNationals: CF Denard Span returned to action for the first time since leaving Tuesdays game after a diving, tumbling catch that left his right knee scraped and sore. Span started Fridays first game, going 1 for 4 with a walk. Afterward, he said he felt rusty but fine. ... Zimmerman started the opener, playing left field for the second day in a row. He struck out as a pinch hitter in the second game.UP NEXTWilliams said the Nationals will stick to their planned starting pitchers this weekend, including RHP Stephen Strasburg (13-11, 3.23 ERA) for a final pre-playoffs tuneup Saturday against Marlins RHP Nathan Eovaldo (6-13, 4.44). Jarrod Dyson Jersey . - The Pittsburgh Pirates plan on keeping promising left fielder Starling Marte playing alongside National League MVP Andrew McCutchen for years to come. Seattle Mariners Jerseys . Mueller is the grandson of the late Ron Lancaster, the Hall-of-Fame quarterback and longtime head coach in the CFL. Last season, Mueller was quarterbacks coach of the University of Regina Rams, his alma mater. http://www.baseballmarinersofficial.com/hisashi-iwakuma-jersey-c-7/ . It took five games, but the Celtics finally helped Stevens earn his first NBA victory. "Im going to celebrate for a whole 12 minutes, and then Im going to start watching Orlando and trying to figure them out," the first-year Celtics coach said after Boston beat the Utah Jazz, one of the leagues other winless teams, 97-87 on Wednesday night.ORLANDO, Fla. -- Scottie Wilbekin sat on the bench for the final minute, holding a bag of ice against his left knee. It was about the only time he wasnt giving Pittsburgh huge problems on both ends of the court. Wilbekin scored 21 points, including 11 of the teams 13 during a 7-minute stretch in the second half, and top-seeded Florida handled the Panthers 61-45 in the NCAA tournament Saturday. The Gators 28th consecutive win put them in the Sweet 16 for the fourth consecutive year. The latest victory followed a lacklustre and head-scratching performance in the teams NCAA opener against Albany two days earlier. The Gators vowed to play with more energy and intensity, and Wilbekin spearheaded the effort. "We just wanted to come out and not let them play harder than us or not play as hard as we can," Wilbekin said. "I think we did a good job of having our energy up at the start of the game, and we played together on offence and played together on defence." Wilbekin took over in the second half, scoring eight consecutive points at one point. Patric Young wasnt too shabby, either, finishing with seven points and eight rebounds. Will Yeguete added eight points -- all in the paint. Michael Frazier II chipped in 10 points for the Gators. Frazier was just 2-of-9 shooting from 3-point range. Had Florida not been cold from behind the arc, the game would have been essentially over much sooner than it was. The Gators finished 5 of 20 from 3-point range, with at least five of those rimming in and out. Florida will face either fourth-seeded UCLA or 12th-seeded Stephen F. Austin on Thursday in the South Regional in Memphis, Tenn. The Bruins and Lumberjacks play Sunday in San Diego. The Gators have the longest current streak of Sweet 16 appearances -- and expect to go further. If Wilbekin continues to play like he did against the Panthers, Florida surely improves its chances of making another deep run in the tournament. "It was good to see him come back and respond the way he did today," coach Billy Donovan said. "I thought all the way around he played very well. ... He was great on both ends of the floor because he really gives it up on the defensive end, and when you give it up like that and youre the point guard, theres a physical toll that your body takes over a period of time." Wilbbekin ended up getting iced down after banging knees with a defender. Drew Smyly Jersey. He got a well-deserved standing ovation as he limped off the court. "Hes a great point guard," Panthers forward Lamar Patterson said. "He took care of business." Wilbekin hit a running 3-pointer at the first-half buzzer and drained a back-breaking 3 with 8:24 remaining that gave Florida its largest lead at that point, 45-31. His consecutive floaters inside 5 minutes to play were equally troublesome for Pitt. The Panthers, who seemed focused on Young inside and Frazier out, had no answer for Wilbekins dribble penetration. Wilbekin also was a force on the press, which helped force 11 turnovers and got the Panthers out of rhythm. Florida played the kind of defence that had to impress NFL coaches Bill Belichick and Mike Tomlin. The Patriots and Steelers head men were on hand, with Belichick sitting behind Floridas bench in a white Gators visor and Tomlin sitting opposite Pitts bench in Panthers colours. Wilbekin really started to dominate as Pitt steadily wore down in the second half. "Got in the lane -- constantly," Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said. "Hes a senior, hes a really good player, hes been through some ups and downs, obviously, and hes had a great finish to his career, and thats what you hope happens to a kid that learns and gets better. They played well. Im sure theyre proud of him and what hes become, a local guy thats done well." Talib Zanna led the Panthers with 10 points, their only player in double figures. A lot was made of the inside matchup between Young and Zanna, two ripped centres who played well Thursday. But Wilbekin was the story in this one. His best play didnt even show up in the box score. Wilbekin saved one of the many loose balls Florida got to first, turned around and threw a strike to Casey Prather. Prather drove the lane and dropped the ball to Young for a dunk that energized the pro-Florida crowd. "I think just trying to get better in little areas, the small stuff, trying to be a better leader," said Wilbekin, who was suspended five games to start the season. "As far as how it translates on the court, I think its helped me become a better leader, be more connected with my teammates and coach. Its helped me play with a freer mind." Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '