 Marlins beat Padres to begin weekend series
2010-07-31 02:53:00
San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Gaby Sanchez and Cody Ross homered to lead the Florida Marlins past the San Diego Padres, 4-2, in the opener of a three- game series. Hanley Ramirez and Logan Morrison each drove in a run for the Marlins, who have won two in a row and four of six overall.
"They're making adjustments," Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez said of the recent home run surge. "They are staying back more. They're not swinging at bad pitches. I think that's the key. They are not swinging at bad pitches. Their strike zone is smaller. They're getting ahead more in the count."
Chris Volstad (5-8) went five-plus frames in the start, allowing two runs on seven hits. The right-hander won for the first time since June 13 against the Rays. Leo Nunez recorded his 25th save of the season.
Adrian Gonzalez and Chase Headley had an RBI apiece for the Padres, who had won five of six coming in. Miguel Tejada went 0-for-3 with a walk in his San Diego debut. He was acquired Thursday along with cash considerations from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for minor league right-hander Wynn Pelzer.
"I don't want to put pressure on myself," Tejada said. "I just want to play the same game I've always played. I do whatever I can do to help the team."
Wade LeBlanc (5-9) allowed four runs on five hits in a 6 1/3-inning start.
The Padres drew first blood with a run in the first. Jerry Hairston Jr. singled and stole second with two outs. Tejada walked in front of Headley's base hit. Hairston scored on the play, but Tejada was thrown out between third and home to end the inning.
Florida plated two runs in the third to go ahead. Wes Helms walked and Ronny Paulino singled. The runners advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt. Ramirez then hit a sacrifice fly. Morrison followed with an RBI single for a 2-1 lead.
Ross' solo homer in the fourth gave the Marlins a 3-1 advantage. San Diego stranded men on the corners in the home fourth.
Sanchez made it 4-1 with a solo blast in the top of the sixth. The Padres, though, got the run back in the bottom half on Gonzalez's run-scoring single.
Game Notes
San Diego's five-game win streak over the Marlins came to a halt...The Padres optioned outfielder Aaron Cunningham to Triple-A Portland...Volstad improved to 2-2 lifetime against the Padres...San Diego catcher Yorvit Torrealba went 2-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to 13 games.
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