MIAMI (AP) -- Mike Thurman showed how well he can do when he's healthy.

Thurman, fresh off the disabled list, pitched six strong innings and Geoff Blum homered and had a career-high four RBI as the Montreal Expos defeated the Florida Marlins 7-3 Friday night.

Thurman (2-1), disabled since May 25 because of right elbow tendinitis, was activated just hours before allowing the Marlins one run and five hits.

Thurman struck out six, walked three and worked out of one-out, bases-loaded jams in the second and third.

"The last time he pitched in the big leagues, his arm far and away didn't compare to the way he threw the ball tonight," Expos manager Felipe Alou said. "Tonight he was throwing close to the way he threw last season."

The last time Thurman pitched for the Expos, he was the loser in the franchise's most-lopsided defeat, 18-0 at San Francisco.

Against the Marlins, Thurman avoided big innings.

"It wasn't the most dazzling performance, it was kind of ugly early on," he said. "I think I was trying a little too hard. But then I started locating my fastball -- that was the key for me."

"There's no question my arm is 100 percent better than the last time I was here. The elbow doesn't even enter my mind," he said.

Blum's two-run homer, off Vic Darensbourg in the fifth inning, increased Montreal's lead to 6-1. One batter later, shortstop Tomas De La Rosa hit a solo homer, his first major league hit.

Julio Santana relieved Thurman to start the seventh and promptly walked the bases loaded before allowing Alex Gonzalez's two-out, two-run single that pulled Florida within 7-3. Anthony Telford relieved Santana and retired Ramon Castro to end the inning.

Florida starter Chuck Smith (0-3) lasted just four innings. He gave up four runs and five hits, struck out three and walked five.

"The game was decided in the second and third innings," Marlins manager John Boles said. "Then they got a few runs. We just didn't do it in those innings. We left seven on in the first three innings and that kind of buried us."

A day after 28,978 fans saw the Marlins split a doubleheader against Atlanta, things were back to normal at Pro Player Stadium where a crowd of 11,234 attended the series opener against the Expos.

Chris Widger's two-run double helped Montreal take a 3-0 lead in the first.

Peter Bergeron and Milton Bradley walked and Andy Tracy singled to load the bases with one out. After Jose Vidro hit into a fielder's choice at the plate, Blum walked to force in Bradley.

Widger followed with a double down the third-base line that scored Tracy and Vidro.

Florida answered with a run in its half of the first. Luis Castillo led off with a single -- extending his hitting streak to 13 games -- then stole second. He eventually scored on Preston Wilson's grounder.

Montreal built a 4-1 lead in the third when Tracy scored on Blum's RBI groundout.

Game notes
Castillo's 13-game hitting streak is a Marlins season high. ... Montreal's Vladimir Guerrero, who missed his first game of the season Thursday because of a strained hip flexor, was not in the lineup Friday night. Alou said he hoped to rest Guerrero the entire weekend. ... Florida had won 11 of the last 14 meetings with the Expos.