Merrill, Maldonado deliver RBI hits in the 2nd inning as Padres hold on to beat Marlins 2-1
Merrill had an RBI single that scored Xander Bogaerts. Maldonado followed with a double down the left field line off Eury Pérez (3-3) that scored Merrill from first and put San Diego up 2-0.
Miami's Kyle Stowers hit a solo homer off Padres starter Randy Vásquez that made it 2-1 in the fourth. Stowers, who has an MLB-best 12 homers since June 22, connected on a 1-0 changeup and sent it 400 feet to left-center for his 22nd home run of the season.
Vásquez allowed one run on seven hits while issuing one walk and no strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. He left with a runner at first and one out in the fifth before Adrian Morejon (8-4) got the last two outs of the inning. Robert Suarez got the final three outs for his 29th save.
Pérez struck out five and allowed two runs on five hits in five innings.
Xavier Edwards had three of Miami's eight hits, but the Marlins went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.
Key stat
The Padres have played in 56 games this season that have been decided within two runs, including seven of their last 10, the second-most such games in the majors.
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