Gaby Sanchez hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning and the Marlins snapped a three-game skid with a 4-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.

Before the game, owner Jeffrey Loria downplayed speculation manager Fredi Gonzalez was on the hot seat, though he declined to say Gonzalez' job was safe. 

Oh, please. Stop with that," Loria said when asked if the team's 13-15 start would prompt changes. "Fredi and I are just fine. Fredi and the Marlins are just fine. Enough already."

Loria maid a pointed show of hugging Gonzalez in front of reporters, and said his pre-season statement that the team was nothing short of a playoff center with all the necessary "ammunition" was just motivational speaking.

"Don't you want to have goals? Don't you want to be enthusiastic about where your team is and where they are going? We won 87 games last year. [As if] I'm going to walk in front of my players and say to them at the beginning of the year, 'You know guys, you're really not good enough to make the playoffs but let's have some fun. Let's travel around the country. Let's have some good meals. Play baseball and forget about winning?'"

"Of course we want to win."

The victory in D.C. was at least a step in the right direction. Pinch-hitter Bryan Petersen singled in his major league debut, starting the decisive rally against Brian Bruney (1-2). Petersen moved to second when Bruney fumbled Chris Coghlan's bunt attempt for an error and Sanchez followed with a looper to right-center, breaking a 2-all tie.

After an intentional walk to Hanley Ramirez, Jorge Cantu's sacrifice fly made it 4-2.

Right-hander Chris Volstad (3-2) went seven innings, yielding four hits and two runs. He walked two and struck out four.

Leo Nunez worked the ninth for his fifth save in seven chances.

Volstad, who threw a four-hitter against Washington in his last start May 2, loaded the bases in the first inning and the Nationals grabbed a 1-0 lead on Josh Willingham's fielder's choice grounder.

Cody Ross' RBI double tied it in the second. John Baker reached on a two-out error by shortstop Ian Desmond and Ross doubled into the left-field corner.

Ryan Zimmerman ripped a 2-1 Volstad changeup into the center field stands with one out in the fifth. The solo shot, his fifth homer, made him 8 for 15 with two home runs in his career against the right-hander.

Cantu responded with his seventh homer, a line shot to left-center with one out in the seventh, and the Marlins knocked Nationals starter Craig Stammen from the game two batters later when Baker tripled.

NOTES: Baker's triple was the first of his 193-game career. ... The Nationals still haven't announced a starting pitcher for Saturday's game, and manager Jim Riggleman said a roster move wouldn't be made before Saturday morning. However, the Marlins' press notes indicated that LHP Matt Chico, currently at Double-A Harrisburg, would make the start. ... Before Friday's game, the Fish designated INF Mike Lamb for assignment and purchased Petersen's contract from Triple-A New Orleans.