Atlanta, GA (My Sportsbook) - Cody Ross hit a three-run home run and drove in four, as the Florida Marlins continued their hot start to the season with a 6-2 win over the Atlanta Braves to complete the three-game sweep.

Dan Uggla had two hits and scored twice, while Jeremy Hermida also drove in a run for the Marlins, who at 8-1 have matched their best start in team history.

"We've been playing well. All those guys in the bullpen pitched a terrific series," said Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez. "I don't think we made an error defensively. (We) got good starting pitching, timely hitting, (and) we're playing well."

The 1997 and 2004 squads both started out the season with 8-1 records but lost the next game.

Anibal Sanchez (1-0) went six innings and gave up two runs on eight hits with three walks and two strikeouts to pick up the win.

Jeff Francoeur drove in both runs, while Kenshin Kawakami (0-1) was charged with five runs -- four earned -- on five hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in six innings of work for the Braves, who had swept Washington coming into the series.

"(Florida) played good baseball and took advantage of mistakes we made," Braves outfielder Garret Anderson said. "They're a pretty good team. I'm not worried about (myself), I got a pretty good track record. I know I'm going to get my hits and do the things I'm capable of doing."

Florida jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning, when Ross slammed a pitch into the stands in left field for a three-run blast.

"It was just nice to get us off to that lead in the second inning," Ross said. "That guy, Kawakami, he's got good stuff, and he can throw all of his pitches in any count. He just made a little mistake, and fortunately I got the good part of the wood on it and gave us the lead.

The Braves got a run back in the third, as Anderson hit a two-out double, Casey Kotchman walked and Francoeur followed with a single to center that scored Anderson to make it a 3-1 game.

Atlanta made it a one-run game in the fifth as Francoeur's double scored Anderson. The double put men on second and third, but it was with two outs, and Jordan Schafer struck out to end the inning.

Florida, though, padded its lead in the top of the sixth. Uggla led off with a walk and scored as Jeremy Hermida followed with a triple to center. Ross then lofted a fly ball to center that scored Hermida for a 5-2 lead.

In the seventh, Kiko Calero retired the first two batters, while Dan Meyer got the last out, and Leo Nunez worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning.

The Marlins got an insurance run in the ninth as Alfredo Amezaga, who led off the frame with a triple, scored on a single from Ross Gload.

Matt Lindstrom worked the ninth inning to finish the game.

Game Notes

Atlanta shortstop Yunel Escobar left the game in the sixth inning with a strained abdominal muscle and will be reevaluated on Friday...Escobar's stolen base was just the second for Atlanta this season and the first stolen base that Florida has given up this season...Florida starts a three-game set in Washington on Friday...Atlanta hits the road for the next nine games, starting with a three-game set in Pittsburgh on Friday.