SAN DIEGO (AP) — Austin Nola hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning, lifting the San Diego Padres over Miami 6-5 Tuesday night and sending the Marlins to their fifth straight loss.
Nola had two hits and two RBIs. He extended his hitting streak to a career-best nine games.
“To be able to get through one of these bullpen games is huge,” Nola said.
With the score tied 5-all and Adam Frazier on second base with two outs, Nola hit a sharp single to left field against Richard Bleier (2-2).
“The way Nola is swinging the bat, defensively, all those things, he is doing a great job,” Padres manager Jayce Tingler said. “The guys at the bottom of the order are doing a great job either getting on or driving in runs.”
Mark Melancon got the last out of the eighth, worked around a leadoff double in the ninth and notched his MLB-leading 34th save.
Pierce Johnson (3-2) got the win in relief.
“We continue to play just solid, really good baseball. Each night it has been a little bit different,” Tingler said of San Diego’s four-game winning streak. “We got down early but we answered back in the first couple of innings and got right back in the game.”
The Marlins, still missing manager Don Mattingly after he tested positive for COVID-19, have dropped six straight on the road.
The Padres started middle reliever Craig Stammen in a game that would feature eight San Diego pitchers.
“I thought I made some good pitches,” Stammen said. “Unfortunately the first inning didn’t go as I had planned it.”
Lewis Brinson hit an RBI single and Jorge Alfaro had a two-run double to put Miami ahead 3-0 in the first.
Jake Cronenworth and Nola hit RBI doubles in the bottom half off Braxton Garrett.
“Garrett has some really good stuff,” Nola said. “He is a really good pitcher.”
Miami tacked on a run in the second when Miguel Rojas singled home Magneuris Sierra, who led off with a double. Stammen lasted only two innings, giving up four runs and six hits.
San Diego scored twice in the fourth for a 5-4 lead, chasing Garrett.
Rojas hit an RBI double in the seventh that made it 5-all.
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