Cashner, Padres blank Marlins
SAN DIEGO -- Andrew Cashner started a little sluggish but slowly built some momentum. The San Diego Padres right-hander quickly became a problem for the Miami Marlins.
"I thought the first couple of innings I worked (from) behind," Cashner said after leading the Padres to a 5-0 win Monday at Petco Park. "I wasn't really commanding my fastball until the game got going. After the third inning, I feel like I kind of beared down a little bit more and started making pitches.
"I wanted to get my slider going early tonight. I was able to command both my slider and curveball, and my changeup was good tonight."
Cashner blanked the Marlins for a career-best 7 1/3 innings, and Jedd Gyorko homered for the second consecutive game as the Padres rolled before an announced crowd of 14,596. Dale Thayer completed the shutout by pitching the last 1 2/3 innings.
Cashner (2-2) gave up four hits and three walks, and he struck out three. He retired 13 of the final 15 batters he faced. He experienced trouble in the third, when the Marlins loaded the bases, but he struck out Justin Ruggiano to escape the jam.
"I thought 'Cash' had a nice mix of pitches tonight," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "I thought the changeup was really effective. Got a lot of outs on the changeup. Threw the fastball in and out. I liked the couple of times he elevated it for the punch-out. Couple of good breaking balls, but I think it was the combination of the fastball (and) change."
Gyorko, who went 2-for-4 Sunday and launched an upper-deck homer to left in a win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, homered for the third time this season Monday. He went deep in the third on a high, 1-0 fastball from former San Diego left-hander Wade LeBlanc (0-5). All of Gyorko's home runs have come in the past week.
"I'm comfortable. I'm seeing the ball pretty well, for the most part," said Gyorko, who is hitting .333 over the past 14 games. He has hit safely in 11 straight at Petco, batting .390 during the stretch. "Just have to put four good at-bats together. I've had that one or two at-bats that hurt me the last couple of days, but other than that, my at-bats have been solid."
LeBlanc, who was facing the Padres for the first time since being traded in November 2011, gave up four runs (three earned) on four hits in five innings. He struck out three and walked three.
"I'm 0-5, and I'm not really giving this team a chance to win," said LeBlanc, who has a 6.11 ERA. "It seems like the season has been a real grind so far. It's really been a grind, and it's starting to get frustrating."
San Diego third baseman Chase Headley went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and he extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
The Padres (14-18) have won nine of their last 12. The loss ended a two-game winning streak for the Marlins (10-23).
San Diego got a run in the first on a Miami error. Cleanup hitter Carlos Quentin hit an infield popup that catcher Rob Brantly misplayed, allowing Everth Cabrera, who walked and stole second, to score from second.
"That's Brantly's ball. He just missed it," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "He just didn't make the play, and we gave them that run."
Gyorko led off the second inning with a solo home run to center, estimated at 413 feet, to make it 2-0.
In the fourth, consecutive RBI singles to right by Chris Denorfia and Cabrera with two outs increased the margin to 4-0.
Headley's double drove in Cabrera for the final run in the seventh.
"We just didn't play well," Redmond said. "We had a couple of opportunities to get a run and make it a game and tie it up, but we weren't able to make contact."
NOTES: Cashner's outing was the second longest by a San Diego starter this season. Jason Marquis worked 7 2/3 innings in a win over the Dodgers on April 16. ... Miami RF Marcell Ozuna, who made his major league debut April 30 against the Mets, had his six-game hitting streak snapped. Ozuna had collected 11 hits in six games before going 0-for-4 Monday. ... LeBlanc pitched for the Padres from 2008 until 2011. He was traded to the Marlins for C John Baker. ... Marlins SS Adeiny Hechavarria became the fourth player in franchise history to drive in seven runs in a game during Sunday's 14-2 romp over the Phillies. Cody Ross, Gary Sheffield and Greg Colbrunn are the others. ... The Marlins swept the Padres during their lone visit to Petco Park last season.
