Miami, FL – Just when it appeared that Carlos Zambrano had turned a corner, the San Diego Padres rallied for five runs in the sixth inning and went on to take the opener of a three-game set, 7-2, over the Miami Marlins.
Yasmani Grandal delivered a go-ahead, bases-clearing triple and scored twice for the Padres, who have won nine of their past 13.
Kip Wells (2-3), who allowed six runs -- five earned -- in his last start, rebounded well, tossing six strong innings and limiting Miami to two runs on five hits.
Zambrano (5-9) surrendered five runs -- four earned -- on three hits and four walks in five-plus innings. Over his last nine starts, Zambrano is 1-6 with a 7.66 earned run average.
Jose Reyes tripled to extend his hitting streak to 14 games and knocked in a run, as the Marlins lost for the eighth time in their last nine games.
With the Padres trailing by two, Logan Forsythe launched a double to left field to open the sixth. An Emilio Bonifacio error and Chase Headley walk loaded the bases with no outs. Zambrano walked Carlos Quentin to force in a run before Grandal laced a rope to center field, which froze Marlins outfielder Justin Ruggiano and rolled all the way to the fence. Grandal ended up at third, the Padres were up 4-2 and Zambrano's night was finished.
Chad Gaudin entered, but Yonder Alonso snapped an 0-for-21 with a single to left to give San Diego a three-run lead in the sixth.
The Padres tacked on two more in the seventh after Headley worked a leadoff walk. Grandal and Alonso singled to score Headley and Cameron Maybin crushed a double off the left-field fence to give San Diego a 7-2 lead.
Dale Thayer and Brad Brach combined to toss three scoreless innings with four strikeouts in relief of Wells to close out the win.
The Marlins went ahead in the fourth inning when Reyes lined a triple into the right-field corner to score Solano. Reyes crossed the plate on Carlos Lee's infield single.
Game Notes
Since losing 20 of their first 25 road games, the Padres have gone 16-9 away from home...San Diego has won nine of its last 13 against Miami...The Padres bullpen has allowed six runs 45 1/3 innings over its last 16 games...In 10 career starts against the Marlins, Wells is 6-3 with a 2.04 ERA (15 earned runs in 66 2/3 innings)...Miami selected the contract of infielder Donnie Murphy from Triple-A New Orleans prior to the game...The Marlins have gone nine straight games without scoring more than three runs, tying a franchise record...San Diego went 4-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left eight on base...The Marlins went 2-for-7 with RISP and stranded seven.
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