PITTSBURGH — The majors' hottest team was no match for one of its most surprising.

And the surprise is how well the Pittsburgh Pirates are pitching a year after their starters were mostly bad and their bullpen was even worse.

Ross Ohlendorf allowed two hits over seven innings during Pittsburgh's third shutout in four games and Nate McLouth drove in four runs as the Pirates ended Florida's seven-game winning streak with an 8-0 victory last night.

The Marlins began the night with a major league-best 11-1 record.

With four shutouts, the Pirates (7-6) already have twice as many as they did last season, when their 5.10 ERA was the NL's worst and the third worst in franchise history. They've cut that by more than two runs per game to 3.08.

"We talked in spring training about the expectations, the accountability that was put on the starters to be productive and give us innings," manager John Russell said. "We didn't do that last year and we suffered."

Ohlendorf (1-2) won for the first time in eight starts.

"As a staff, I think we get along really well and push each other, and it does seem to be breeding confidence and competition between us to see who can pitch the best," Ohlendorf said. "

Tyler Yates, a Kaua'i High and University of Hawai'i-Hilo alum, and Jesse Chavez finished off the shutout with a scoreless inning each.

DIAMONDBACKS 6, ROCKIES 3:

Mark Reynolds homered and doubled, Miguel Montero added a three-run homer and host Arizona defeated Colorado. Arizona's Jon Garland (2-1) went 6 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run and six hits. He walked two and struck out five.

NATIONALS 3, BRAVES 2:

Jordan Zimmermann won his major league debut, throwing six strong innings as host Washington beat Atlanta. Zimmermann (1-0) allowed two runs and six hits, with three strikeouts and a walk.

REDS 4, ASTROS 3:

Joey Votto's two-run double in the seventh inning lifted visiting Cincinnati over Houston. Trailing 3-2, Paul Janish and Willy Taveras singled before Votto's hit.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

RED SOX 12, ORIOLES 1:

Dustin Pedroia went 4 for 6 with three run-scoring singles and David Ortiz had a two-run triple for host Boston, completing a four-game sweep in the Patriots' Day game. Justin Masterson (1-0) held the Orioles to one run and four singles in 5 1/3 innings.

NOTES

NATIONALS:

Ryan Zimmerman has a new $45 million, five-year contract, and Washington finally has the "face of the franchise" signed for the long haul. The deal runs through 2013 and replaces the one-year, $3,325,000 contract the third baseman agreed to in February, avoiding arbitration. Zimmerman is a career .282 hitter with 60 homers.

PIRATES:

Pittsburgh catcher Ryan Doumit was out of the lineup last night and might have to sit out the three-game series against Florida because of soreness in his right wrist.