Miami, FL (Best E Casino) - Jeremy Hermida drove in two runs and scored three, and Anibal Sanchez was sharp in his 2008 debut, as the Florida Marlins walloped the Colorado Rockies, 12-2, in the opener of a four-game set at Dolphin Stadium.

Making his first start in the majors since May 2, 2007, Sanchez (1-0) allowed two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings to get his first win since April 21 of last year. Sanchez went 2-1 with a 4.80 earned run average in six games for the Marlins last year before undergoing right shoulder surgery on June 21. The right-hander won 10 games and threw a no-hitter against Arizona as a rookie in 2006.

"(We scored) a lot of runs in the first couple of innings and that helped me a little bit," Sanchez said. "I was relaxed. I just wanted to keep the score down."

Hermida finished with three hits for the Marlins, who have won five of their last seven contests and trail the Philadelphia Phillies by 1 1/2 games for first place in the tight NL East. Dan Uggla finished 2-for-4 and knocked in two runs, while Jorge Cantu and Hanley Ramirez each belted a solo home run.

The Marlins bolstered their bullpen before the non-waiver trading deadline on Thursday, acquiring left-handed reliever Arthur Rhodes from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for minor league pitcher Gaby Hernandez, but lost out on left fielder Manny Ramirez. Florida was reportedly engaged in serious talks with Boston to acquire the slugger, but a deal never materialized. Ramirez was eventually dealt to Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-way deal involving the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Colorado starter Jorge De La Rosa (5-6) lasted only 1 2/3 frames and was victimized for seven runs on five hits with four walks and three strikeouts. Kip Wells surrendered four runs in 3 1/3 innings of relief.

"I was so wild today," De La Rosa said. "I threw a lot of pitches outside the zone today. I didn't have control of my fastball today and I walked too many guys."

Omar Quintanilla and Ian Stewart each knocked in a run for the Rockies, who have dropped three of their last four games.

The start of the game was delayed 43 minutes due to rain.

After Cantu clubbed his 19th home run of the season with two gone in the first, the Marlins broke the game open with a six-run surge in the second. With two outs and the bases loaded, De La Rosa walked Ramirez to score Wes Helms, who had reached on a one-out single. Hermida followed with a grounder up the middle that plated two more runners.

Cantu was then hit by a pitch to reload the bases for Josh Willingham, who walked to force in another run. A two-run double from Uggla gave the Marlins a 7-0 lead and ended De La Rosa's night. Wells took over on the mound and retired Helms to end the inning.

Colorado got on the board in the fourth on an Stewart RBI single, but the Marlins countered with three runs in their half of the fourth for a 10-1 lead. With two outs and a runner on third, Wells issued three straight walks to Uggla, Helms and Cody Ross to bring in a run. John Baker then ripped a two- run single to left.

The Marlins added another run in the fifth on Ramirez's 25th home run, a lead-off smash to left.

An RBI single from Quintanilla trimmed the deficit to 11-2 in the sixth, and Helms' RBI single gave the Marlins a 12-2 lead in the ninth.

Game Notes

To make room for Rhodes, the club optioned infielder Robert Andino to Triple-A Albuquerque. Florida also transferred pitcher Burke Badenhop from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list...Cantu has hit safely in nine straight games...Colorado left nine men on base, while the Marlins stranded eight...Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez (7-9) and Florida's Chris Volstad (2-1) are scheduled to start on Friday.