Fri May 2 22:06:12 2008

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Uggla's two-homer, four-RBI game paces Marlins to victory

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Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Dan Uggla went 2-for-3 with a pair of home runs and four RBI to lead the Florida Marlins past the San Diego Padres, 6-4, in the opener of a three-game set.

Luis Gonzalez also added a solo homer for the Marlins, who snapped their season-long three-game skid. Jeremy Hermida finished with three base hits and a run scored.

Mark Hendrickson (5-1) got the win by scattering five hits and three runs over seven innings of work. Kevin Gregg got his fifth save of the year, despite allowing a run on two hits in the ninth.

Khalil Greene hit a two-run home run for the Padres, who lost for the second time in a row and ninth in their last 11 tries. Kevin Kouzmanoff went 4-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Justin Germano (0-3) absorbed the loss after he was touched for six runs -- five earned -- on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. Germano has made 11 appearances, eight starts, since his last victory.

With a 2-1 lead, Florida added some insurance runs in the sixth. Hermida started the surge with a single and moved to third on a single from Jorge Cantu. Uggla added his second homer of the evening, a three-run job, and Luis Gonzalez followed with a solo shot. Kevin Cameron came on in relief and retired Mike Rabelo to end the inning, but the damage had been done.

San Diego got some runs back in the seventh. Greene hit a home run, which also scored Kouzmanoff, to cut the Padres' deficit to 6-3.

Florida felt some pressure in the ninth. Gregg stepped to the mound and gave up a ground-rule double to Adrian Gonzalez, and a single to Kouzmanoff made it first and third. Greene plated a run on a double play-ball, and pinch-hitter Tony Clark grounded out to Uggla to end the game.

Florida got on the board first. Alfredo Amezaga led off with a double and touched home plate on a Hermida single, and the Marlins were up 1-0 after one inning of play.

Uggla snapped an 0-9 slump with a solo home run to left field in the second. The blast put the Marlins up 2-0.

The Padres got a run back in the fourth. Brian Giles got things rolling with a single and moved to third on consecutive groundouts from Tad Iguchi and Adrian Gonzalez. Kouzmanoff followed with a line drive to left, which plated Giles and made it a 2-1 ballgame.

Game Notes

Uggla's homers helped the second baseman record the sixth multi-home run game of his career...Luis Gonzalez's home run was the 349th of his career, moving him past George Foster for 78th on the all-time list...The Padres went 4-3 against the Marlins last season, with a 2-1 mark as the guest. They are 11-9 in the last 20 matchups in this series...The Marlins placed outfielder Josh Willingham on the 15-day disabled list and recalled outfielder Brett Carroll from Triple-A Albuquerque.