Marlins 6, Padres 2
MIAMI -- Jeff Mathis hit a walk-off grand slam in the ninth inning and the Miami Marlins closed out a much-improved month with a 6-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday afternoon at Marlins Park.
Logan Morrison started the rally with a leadoff walk against reliever Tyson Ross (0-4). Marcell Ozuna followed with a single to left. After Morrison moved up a base on a flyout by Derek Dietrich, pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Mathis then drilled a 1-0 pitch to left field for the 3,000 home run in franchise history. It was Mathis' first-ever walk-off home run and his first grand slam since 2008.
The Marlins are 29-51 this season but 15-10 in June, which is among the top four records in baseball during the month.
The Padres are 40-42.
Miami spoiled the 57th birthday of Padres manager Bud Black. San Diego had won their previous five games on Black's birthday.
The Padres couldn't get anything going against Marlins starter Nathan Eovaldi, who left the game after throwing six shutout innings. But in the seventh, pinch-hitter Carlos Quentin hit a two-run homer on the first pitch he saw from reliever Chad Qualls, tying the score 2-2.
Former University of Miami catcher Yasmani Grandal, who drew his third walk of the game, scored ahead of Quentin, who belted his first pinch-homer since 2010.
The Marlins opened the scoring in the fourth on a two-out, two-run double by Dietrich that one-hopped the wall in left-center field. It was the only damage done against Padres starter Andrew Cashner, who went six innings.
That hit scored Morrison and Ozuna and wiped out the former's base-running mistake. With two out, Morrison played it halfway and only advanced one base on a high popup by Ozuna that fell in right field. Morrison no doubt thought there was only one out.
The Padres had threatened in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with two outs on two singles and a walk. Eovaldi then fell behind Pedro Ciriaco 2-0 but got him to ground out on the next pitch.
In the fifth, the Marlins wasted Justin Ruggiano's two-out triple that one-hopped the center-field wall at the deepest part of the park (418 feet). The next batter, Ed Lucas, grounded out.
NOTES: Attendance was announced at 15,929, including 592 dogs in the Marlins' "Dog in the Park" promotion. ... Jacob Turner, who beat the Padres 7-1 on Saturday, has a 1.76 ERA in six starts. Turner is 22, and the last pitcher his age or younger to have an ERA that low after six starts and at least 40 innings in a season was Mark Prior of the Cubs in 2003. ... Former Marlins OF Mark Kotsay got his first start of the series on Sunday, opening in left for the Padres. ... With their 15th June win on Friday, the Padres had already clinched their second straight winning month. ... The Padres entered Sunday with a .256 batting average with two outs and runners in scoring position, third best in the National League and, if it holds up, third best in team history.
