MIAMI, Fla. (AP) — Will Venable hit a tiebreaking two-run home run in the eighth inning, and the San Diego Padres completed three-game sweep of the Florida Marlins with a 4-2 victory Sunday.
Venable connected on a 2-2 pitch from Brian Sanches (0-1), driving the ball just inside the right-field pole for his eighth homer of the season and breaking a 2-all tie. It was his third tiebreaking homer since Wednesday night and fourth homer in seven games.
Venable had a two-run, go-ahead homer in the seventh Friday night for the Padres, who have won six of seven. He also broke a tie with a fifth-inning, two-run shot against Tampa Bay on Wednesday.
Ryan Webb (3-1) worked 1 1-3 innings in relief of Mat Latos for the win. Edward Mujica pitched got two outs and Luke Gregerson earnded his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth.
The maligned Marlins bullpen had another poor outing. Florida has lost four in a row.
San Diego led 1-0 in the first as David Eckstein drew a walk and scored on a base hit to center field by Chase Headley.
The Padres added another run in the sixth after Adrian Gonzalez began the inning by reaching base on an error by second baseman Dan Uggla, who lost a pop fly in the sun. Headley walked and Yorvit Torrealba reached on an infield single to load the bases.
Venable hit a deep flyball to center field to score Gonzalez. All runners moved up a base. Chris Denorfia was intentionally walked to reload the bases again, but Everth Cabrera bounced an easy grounder to Anibal Sanchez who started a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Cody Ross doubled and Ronny Paulino walked with two outs in the sixth chasing Latos. Webb relieved Latos and immediately gave up a run-scoring single to Emilio Bonafacio to cut the Padres lead to 2-1.
Latos pitched 5 2-3 innings allowing one run, five hits, and four walks. He struck out five.
The Marlins tied it in the seventh Jorge Cantu's RBI single. Webb got out of the inning with a double play, the Padres' third of the day.
Cantu and Bonifacio each had a pair of hits for the Marlins. Sanchez allowed two runsone earnedin six innings.
NOTES: Marlins RF Mike Stanton got his first day off, one night after his catch in foul territory cost the Marlins a run. Marlins interim manager Edwin Rodriguez said the day off was a well-deserved break for the rookie. "Pitch recognition, so far, is his problem. But he'll be fine," Rodriguez said. ... San Diego led the NL West by 3½ games starting the day. The Padres have only led their division by more than three games in six previous seasons, making the playoffs in five of those. ... Starting Monday, the Marlins play 13 straight games away from South Florida.
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