Backup catcher Nick Fortes went 3-for-4 with two solo homers and three runs scored, leading the host Miami Marlins to a 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night.
Miami native Manny Machado led San Diego with three RBIs. But the Padres, who still lead the race for the third and final National League wild-card playoff berth, have lost two straight games, both to Miami.
The Marlins scored more than three runs in a game for the first time since July 29, snapping a 16-game streak.
Marlins starter Edward Cabrera, making his 13th career start, wasn’t scored on, but he lasted just four innings due to a high pitch count. He allowed three hits and two walks, striking out seven. He did that in 91 pitches, including 56 for strikes.
Dylan Floro worked out of a two-on, no-out jam in a scoreless ninth to earn his third save of the season.
Marlins reliever Andrew Nardi had a rough major league debut, allowing three runs in 1 1/3 innings.
Padres starter Sean Manaea escaped with a no-decision, allowing four hits, one walk and three runs in four innings.
Miami opened the scoring in the second inning on Fortes’ first homer, a 416-foot shot to left-center.
The Marlins made it 2-0 in the third as Peyton Burdick walked, went to second on Luke Williams’ single and scored on Jesus Aguilar’s double that took a bad hop and went by Machado at third base.
Miami extended its lead to 3-0 in the fourth as Fortes homered again, this time on a first-pitch changeup from Manaea.
San Diego tied the score in the seventh, loading the bases on singles by Ha-Seong Kim and Jurickson Profar and Juan Soto’s four-pitch walk. Marlins manager Don Mattingly replaced Nardi with Elieser Hernandez (3-6). Machado then drilled Hernandez’s 2-2 slider to left-center for a three-run double.
Miami got its lead back in the bottom of the seventh against Luis Garcia (4-6) as Fortes hit a leadoff single, advanced on a groundout and scored on Burdick’s RBI double to right.
San Diego threatened in the eighth as Wil Myers stroked a leadoff double. But on Trent Grisham’s flyout, Myers was thrown out at third base by right fielder Brian Anderson.
Floro ended the game by striking out three straight batters: Josh Bell, Jake Cronenworth and Myers.
–Field Level Media
