Power Surge Lifts Marlins at Atlanta

ATLANTA —  Preston Wilson and Derrek Lee each hit two-run homers in the fifth inning and Cliff Floyd later had a three-run shot as the Florida Marlins avoided a sweep, beating the Atlanta Braves, 8-3, Monday night at Atlanta.

Florida snapped Atlanta’s season-high four-game winning streak and also denied the Braves their first four-game series sweep in almost five years.

Brad Penny (2-1) pitched six-plus innings for the win, giving up eight hits and two earned runs.

Wilson and Lee homered against Kevin Millwood (2-2). Floyd, who missed the previous two games with tonsillitis, hit a 427-foot shot off Kerry Ligtenberg with two out in the ninth, giving him four homers in his last four games and seven this season.

The Braves squandered numerous chances. Julio Franco twice hit into inning-ending double plays with the bases loaded. In the sixth, the first two batters singled, but Javy Lopez hit into a double play and Wes Helms popped out.

Gary Sheffield sat out because of a sore left wrist. He has missed four of the last six games.

The game drew only 21,461--the smallest crowd in Turner Field’s six-year history.