Major League Baseball

Padres 4, Marlins 0

Published Jul. 20, 2011 4:32 a.m. ET

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It sometimes seems as though the offensively challenged San Diego Padres need to pitch a shutout to win. They got one Tuesday night.

Tim Stauffer pitched six innings, and four relievers completed a six-hitter to beat the travel-weary Florida Marlins 4-0.

The shutout was just the fifth this season for the Padres, even though they rank fifth in the majors in ERA. They won for only the second time in 10 games.

''It has been the same since game one: I'm going out there trying to put up zeros,'' Stauffer said. ''Whether we score no runs or 10 runs, I'm going to pitch aggressively and try to get us back in the dugout as quickly as possible.''

He had the rare luxury of a first-inning lead when Ryan Ludwick and Orlando Hudson hit consecutive two-out RBI doubles for the Padres, who rank last in the NL in runs. Cameron Maybin had two hits, an RBI and a run scored against his former team.

Stauffer (6-6) allowed four hits and two walks but stranded three runners in scoring position.

''I settled down as the game went on,'' the right-hander said. ''I fine-tuned a couple of things and got a little more aggressive. My last inning was probably my best inning.''

Stauffer won for the fourth time in his past five starts and lowered his ERA to 2.83.

''He throws four pitches for strikes, and he does such a good job of using both sides of the plate,'' Padres catcher Rob Johnson said. ''It's tough on hitters when you don't know what he's going to be coming with.''

The Marlins, playing in their third city in three days, looked jet-lagged as they went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position.

''If you don't hit, you always look flat,'' manager Jack McKeon said. ''We're not going to make excuses. We've gotten into places late and got about 10 runs. We just got beat. Good pitching beat us.''

Heath Bell entered the game with two on and two outs in the ninth and retired John Buck for his 27th save in 29 chances.

Emilio Bonifacio reached on a bunt single in the fifth to extend his career-best hitting streak to 18 games, the longest for the Marlins since Kevin Millar hit in 18 consecutive games in 2002.

Florida's Anibal Sanchez (6-3) allowed only two runs but needed 119 pitches to get through six innings. He went to a full count on eight batters.

''We worked him hard,'' Padres manager Bud Black said.

Sanchez is winless in seven starts, the longest stretch of his career.

''I had to keep the score close and just waited for the team to give me some help,'' he said. ''That didn't happen.''

The Marlins began a homestand after a one-game series Monday in New York to make up a rainout, and they lost for the second time in 11 games. They are 22-29 at home and 25-21 on the road.

The Padres scored twice in the first after the first two batters were retired. Maybin reached on an infield single and stole second. Ludwick and Hudson followed with doubles.

San Diego added an unearned run in the seventh when pitcher Steve Cishek made an errant throw after bobbling a potential double-play grounder. Maybin singled home a run off Brian Sanches in the ninth.

Maybin had two of the four stolen bases by the Padres, who increased their season total to 99, most in the NL.

Florida had two on with one out in the third and fifth innings, but Stauffer retired Logan Morrison to end both threats.

''Their man threw strikes,'' Marlins center fielder Mike Cameron said. ''That allowed him to go to his secondary pitches.''

Notes: Padres SS Jason Bartlett (paternity leave) is expected to rejoin the team Wednesday. On Sunday he and his wife had their second child, a boy. ... Padres 3B Chase Headley (strained right calf) missed his third consecutive game but might be back in the next day or two, Black said. ... The Padres have won eight of their past 10 games in Miami. ... The announced attendance was 17,101, but the actual crowd on a drizzly evening was less than 5,000. That included a large cheering section for Padres 1B Anthony Rizzo, who grew up in South Florida.

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