SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jesús Luzardo threw a two-hit shutout over six innings and Jorge Soler hit his 33rd homer of the season to lead the Florida Marlins to a 3-0 win over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night in a matchup of National League wild-card hopefuls.
The Marlins (62-52) entered the game having lost five of their last six games and moved five games ahead of the Padres (60-67) in the race for a wild-card spot. The teams play the finale of the three-game series on Wednesday.
Luzardo (9-8) effectively mixed his upper 90-mph fastball with a slider and change-up, working six innings and giving up no runs and two hits while striking out seven.
Andrew Nardi, Tanner Scott and closer David Robertson each pitched an inning of scoreless relief. Robertson earned his 18th save.
Padres starter Blake Snell (10-9) came in as the MLB leader in ERA (2.65), but was roughed up in the third, giving up three runs. Soler hit a mammoth 442-foot solo homer off a 97.3-mph fastball to center field.
Later in the Marlins’ third, Luis Arraez scored from second after an infield single by Jake Burger, who extended his hitting streak to 12 games, and a throwing error by Padres’ shortstop Xander Bogaerts. Avisail Garcia followed with a ground out that scored Josh Bell from third, giving the Marlins a 3-0 lead.
Miami appeared on the way to a bigger inning, but the Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. made a spectacular play on a single to right-field by Jazz Chisholm Jr.. He scooped the ball up at full-speed and tossed a strike to catcher Gary Sanchez, who tagged Burger out at the plate to end the third. Tatis did his trademark move of putting his imaginary gun in the holster after the out.
The loss snaps Snell’s streak of wins in his previous four decisions, dating to July 25. Snell lasted six innings, giving up three runs and six hits while striking out eight.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: LF Avisail Garcia left the game with what appeared to be a hamstring injury to his left leg while running to first on a ground out in the third inning. He was removed from the lineup after limping off the field with the Marlins’ trainer. No update was provided.
Padres: RHP Joe Musgrove (right shoulder capsule inflammation), on the 15-day IL, will play catch on Friday, manager Bob Melvin said. It'll mark the first time Musgrove will have thrown since he was sidelined in early August. ... LHP Tim Hill (sprained left ring finger), on the 15-day IL, faced hitters in a simulated inning at Petco Park on Tuesday. It's expected to be his final step before beginning a rehab stint, likely on Friday with Class A Lake Elsinore.
UP NEXT
Marlins RHP Sandy Alcantara (6-4, 4.11) will take the mound on Wednesday afternoon against the Padres RHP Seth Lugo (4-6, 3.92) .
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