Ricky Nolasco pitched eight strong innings and Dan Uggla homered to lead the Florida Marlins past the Colorado Rockies, 4-1, in the opener of a doubleheader on Saturday.

Brett Carroll homered and drove in a pair and Hanely Ramirez had a couple of hits for the Marlins, who have won two straight after dropping two in a row to the lowly Houston Astros.

Nolasco (2-0) struck out nine and did not walk a batter in eight innings. The burly right-hander scattered seven hits and allowed only one run on an RBI single in the fourth by Ian Stewart.

Uggla reached Greg Smith (1-2) for a solo blast - his fourth of the season - in the second inning to get Florida on the board. Carroll added a solo shot in the next inning and Jorge Cantu singled in another later in the frame to give Nolasco all the support he would need.

Leo Nunez pitched a scoreless ninth for his fourth save. The right-hander has yet to allow a run this season and has yielded only one hit in 8 1/3 total innings.

Todd Helton and Troy Tulowitzki each had a pair of hits for Colorado.