Papelbon and bullpen hold down Marlins in Nats' comeback win

The Nationals came back to beat the Marlins 5-3 as manager Dusty Baker maneuvered his bullpen around to find a way to get the win.

Starter Gio Gonzalez got into the fifth, but left trailing 2-0. Plus, he had allowed three straight singles to open the sixth.

After that, the bullpen took over, with Baker employing five relievers in the final four innings. They allowed just one more run as they watched the Nationals offense come alive.

Baker was asked if he spread the wealth in the bullpen because of the two games coming up Saturday, or was it more based on the matchups?

"We have stats on everybody and we use them," Baker said. We know that (Justin) Bour and (Derek) Dietrich haven't had much success against the left-handers. (Cole) Gillespie was new. So we felt comfortable with that matchup, and then it was time to turn it over to Pap.

"We wanted to get through that ... bottom of the order there, and then turn it over to Pap.

The game ended with closer Jonathan Papelbon getting the final two outs on a strikeout a grounder to short, earning his 10th save and 359th of his career. He is now 10th in career saves.

"I think with our bullpen this year, we definitely all feed off each other," Papelbon said. "Every good bullpen that I've been a part of, we feed off each other. We have that makeup. Hopefully we can do that for the rest of the season and string together some good series. Hopefully we are in that last series at the end of the year and it's leaning on us."

Baker used Yusmeiro Petit and Oliver Perez to finish off the sixth, an inning that began with three men on and no one out. Petit got a strikeout and Perez induced a 6-3 double play to get out of the jam unscathed.

Blake Treinen followed with a pair of innings, allowing only one run.

Felipe Rivero and Papelbon got through the ninth. Usually closers of Papelbon's stature get the entire ninth inning all to themselves. But Rivero started the inning and Baker explained his strategy after the game.

"I talked to Pap about it when we did it once before," Baker said. "That's not something we're gonna do a lot, but we like the matchup of Rivero and those first two guys. It didn't work because he hit Dietrich, but that's something that (pitching coach Mike Maddux) and I discussed and Pap got the save anyway.

"Pap's a team player, big time. As it was, being a team player, Pap ended up with the save anyway, so everybody's happy."

Treinen was the only reliever who pitched more than 2/3 of an inning, saving most of the arms for the doubleheader Saturday.

"Dusty has done this for a long time," Papelbon said. "The best thing about him is you never question it, you trust him. Those managers you can trust like that you just ride with him.

"You can have faith that they are going to make the right decision most of the time. They are not going to make the right decision every time. Managing is a tough job. He puts in his homework I know that."

What about the record book? Does reaching that milestone mean a lot to the right-hander, who is 10th all-time in saves?

"No, to be totally honest with you it really doesn't," Papelbon said. "I like to say that it does, but it doesn't. I don't really play for personal accolades to see how far I can get. I play because I love competing and I love coming to the park everyday and I love the grind.

"I play for championships and my teammates and that's it. When it's all said and done and I'm done playing this game I'll kind of go back and look at everything."