San Diego Padres defeat Florida Marlins 4-3 – MLB Update
The San Diego Padres overcame the Florida Marlins 4-3 after an intense encounter, helped by a three-run first inning, at Petco Park in San Diego, California on Sunday, August 21.
The Padres defied all odds to win four-consecutive games and improve their win-loss record to 28-38 in home fixtures. This series win enabled San Diego to finally improve their ranking in the National League West division, edging .5 games ahead of the struggling
Los Angeles Dodgers.
Cory Luebke was epic at the mound for the Padres. The starter pitched six innings and went for just one run amid three hits to bring his earned-run average down to 2.91 for the season. Luebke struck-out eight batters in his spell to silence the opposition.
The relief pitchers replicated what Luebke displayed in his mesmerizing spell. Chad Qualls and Luke Gregerson managed to hold games while Heath Bell went one step ahead to close the game brilliantly, under immense pressure and win the game for San Diego.
Bell pitched 1.1 innings and allowed the opposition batters just one run in a position where they required at least two runs. This was Bell’s third of the season with four losses still looming his record.
The Padres earned an early advantage when Will Venable homered early in the first inning. This gave San Diego sufficient momentum to add two more runs in the first inning to take an imposing three-run lead early on. Anibal Sanchez was the unlucky starter
for the Marlins as he leaked three expensive-runs in five innings amid six hits.
The game was square at the top of the ninth inning and the Padres required a moment of brilliance to seal the encounter and complete the whitewash of Marlins at home. Venable’s single deep to the right enabled Nick Hundley to score the all-important run
and seal the evening for the Padres.
The Marlins are now struggling at 57-70 for the season. This was their fifth-consecutive loss and they have managed to win just two of their previous ten games. Florida is 25 games behind Philadelphia and a comeback this season seems to be out of contention.
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