Pitch Perfect

In all honesty, Jon Garland could have done without that many strikeouts.

The Padres started tied his career high with 10 of them to help San Diego beat the Florida Marlins 4-1 Tuesday night.

"That's something I really don't like because it cuts my innings down," Garland said. "I'm a guy that likes to pitch to contact, get quick outs, but I'm not going to argue with it as well."

Garland (2-2) allowed one run, three hits, three walks in six innings, tying the record he set Aug. 24, 2003 against Texas.

Adrian Gonzalez, Jerry Hairston and Nick Hundley had run-scoring hits for San Diego, and Padres reliever Luke Gregerson struck out the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the seventh to set a club record by retiring 26 in a row.

"It was a well-pitched game, a well-defended game," Padres manager Bud Black said.

Gaby Sanchez snapped the streak with a single to right.

Mike Adams pitched a scoreless eighth and Heath Bell followed in the ninth for his fifth save in six chances, holding the Marlins to six hits a day after they scored 10 runs on 12 hits.

Right fielder Will Venable made a diving catch to end the game with two runners on.

"In that situation you want to be aggressive, but if I don't dive for it, I don't know if I can cut it off," Venable said. "It was kind of all or nothing and I ended up being able to get there."

Anibal Sanchez (1-2) allowed three runs, two earned in 6 1-3 innings. He struck out seven.

"Sanchy did a nice job keeping us the ball game," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We didn't play very good defense behind him, and he didn't let that bother him."

Garland allowed four of the first six batters to reach base before retiring 12 straight.

"I think all pitches -- the sinker, cutter, and even the four-seamer -- I was able to put it where I wanted to for the most part," Garland said. "And I was working in and out really well."

Cameron Maybin and Chris Coghlan hit consecutive singles to start the sixth. Garland limited the damage by getting Hanley Ramirez to hit into a run-scoring double play that made it 2-1 before striking out Jorge Cantu to end the inning.

"That was the biggest play of the game," Garland said.

The Padres tacked on two more runs in the seventh when Tony Gwynn led off with a walk and stole second before Hairston's single off Burke Badenhop. Two batters later, Gonzalez added an RBI single.

Garland lowered his ERA against the Marlins to 2.14 in five career starts, his lowest against any opponent.

"He was definitely hitting his spots, keeping us on our toes, keeping us uncomfortable in the box," Gaby Sanchez said. "He was able to mow us down."

Hundley drove in the Padres' first run in the second, and San Diego added another when left fielder Coghlan's throwing error allowed David Eckstein to score from third.

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