St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Rays pitcher Edwin Jackson continued his struggles against the Marlins, and Florida avoided the sweep with a 9-3 victory over the Rays.

Jackson (4-6) dropped to 0-3 lifetime against the Marlins after pitching five innings and giving up six runs on five hits with three walks.

"It's the simple fact you know how many people are going to score when you walk them," Jackson said. "It might have been trying to have too much finesse with the pitches instead of just throwing them."

The Marlins, who had not homered in the past three games, used two three-run shots by Wes Helms and Mike Jacobs to power the team to its first win in four games.

"We finally got it going," said Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez. "We are capable of swinging the bats (and) putting some runs on the board."

Florida starter Ricky Nolasco (7-4) got his sixth win in his last seven decisions, pitching two outs into the ninth inning and allowing three runs -- two earned -- on six hits while striking out 12.

"Sometimes you got to tip your hat," said Rays outfielder Cliff Floyd. "He kept us off balance. He was able to capitalize on us not thinking he'd be able to do some of the things he did."

Jackson gave up two walks in the second, and Helms made him pay by sending his fourth home run over the left field fence to give the Marlins an early 3-0 lead.

After starting the fifth with two quick outs, the Marlins put together three straight hits that culminated with Jacobs' three-run homer doubling the lead to 6-0.

The Rays got an RBI single from Jason Bartlett in the fifth to cut the lead to 6-1. Eric Hinske added his 12th home run of the year with two outs in the sixth, making it 6-2.

The Marlins added two more runs in the 8th after Greg Gross and B.J. Upton miscommunicated and allowed a Cody Ross fly ball to bounce all the way to the wall, giving Ross an RBI triple.

Jorge Cantu drove in his 40th RBI in the ninth with a single to left, scoring Hanley Ramirez.

The Rays finally got it going a little too late, as Gross got an RBI single following a Ramirez error to load the bases. Bartlett followed with a pop up to end the game.