Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Josh Willingham's lead-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted the Florida Marlins to a 6-5 win over the Washington Nationals in the first of a three-game series at Dolphin Stadium.

Washington's Jon Rauch came on to protect a 5-4 lead in the ninth and couldn't get the job done, surrendering a one-out bomb to Hanley Ramirez. The tall right-hander struck out lead-off hitter Wes Helms and had Ramirez buried in the count. The Marlin shortstop then worked the count even before crushing a fastball deep to the seats in left field.

It was the second straight outing Ramirez hit a game-tying, solo home run in the ninth inning. On Sunday, Ramirez homered off Arizona's Brandon Lyon to knot the score at three. Jorge Cantu eventually singled in Jeremy Hermida and the Marlins won 4-3.

In the 10th, Willingham jumped on a first-pitch slider from Rauch and drove it over the left-field wall for his third career game-ending home run.

The left fielder also belted a two-run homer for the Marlins, who have won three of their last four. Robert Andino finished 2-for-4 and knocked in a run for Florida, which is a half-game behind the idle Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the NL East.

"Home runs, I've never been able to explain them," Willingham said. "They come and go. I hit a couple, two or three in a week, then I might go a week or two without hitting one. My timing was a little better tonight and I got some pitches to hit and they happened to go out. But, it felt really good to hit one because it's been a long time."

Ryan Tucker gave up four runs on six hits and struck out six in a five-inning start for the Marlins. Doug Waechter allowed one run in 2 1/3 innings of relief. Kevin Gregg (6-2) picked up the win after tossing a scoreless 10th.

Elijah Dukes and Dmitri Young each hit a solo home run for Washington, which has lost two of three. Cristian Guzman, Willie Harris and Paul Lo Duca each had two hits, with Guzman and Harris driving in a run.

Washington starter Tim Redding allowed four runs on eight hits and fanned six over five-plus innings. Rauch (4-2) blew his fifth save of the season.

"If I make those pitches where they needed to be then obviously we're not in this situation right now," Rauch said when asked if he pitched where he intended to with Ramirez and Willingham. "One of the things about my job is when I come in and make mistakes it generally costs us ballgames and that's what happened tonight. It's just tough to go out there and have to go through games like that."

Willingham drew a walk to begin the bottom of the second, then hustled to third when Mike Jacobs punched a base hit to right field. After Cody Ross struck out swinging, Andino stroked a single to left to put the Marlins on the board.

Harris was hit by a pitch to open the next frame. Redding then bunted the runner to second and a two-out single by Guzman evened the score.

The Marlins grabbed a 3-1 lead in the home third on Willingham's seventh home run of the season. Hermida was aboard with a one-out double and, after Cantu flied out, Willingham hammered a first-pitch fastball to the seats in left.

Three consecutive singles by Ronnie Belliard, Lo Duca and Harris with two away in the fourth made it a one-run game.

Washington then pulled ahead in the fifth on home runs by Dukes and Young.

Ross led off the sixth with a single and moved to third on a hit by Andino. Jesus Colome then took over on the mound and promptly served up a sacrifice fly to Matt Treanor, tying the game at four.

In the eighth, Belliard drew a one-out walk and Lo Duca singled to center to put runners on the corners. Felipe Lopez came on as a pinch-runner and Renyel Pinto was summoned from the bullpen. Pinto then immediately uncorked a wild pitch to give the visitors a 5-4 lead. Pinto issued a free pass to Harris, but fanned Wil Nieves. On the play, Lopez was caught stealing third to end the inning.