Grandal hits 3-run homer in 5-run 4th, lifting Padres to 6-4 win over Diamondbacks

June 16, 2013 at 5:20AM

SAN DIEGO — Yasmani Grandal's three-run homer capped a five-run fourth inning, and the San Diego Padres beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4 on Saturday night to stretch their winning streak to five and reach the .500 mark for the first time in two years.

Jason Marquis (9-2) allowed three runs and three hits in 6 2-3 innings to win his eighth straight decision. San Diego (34-34) pulled to within three games of first-place Arizona in the NL West.

The last time the Padres were at .500 was April 10, 2011, when they were 4-4.

Huston Street, who returned from the disabled list on Friday, earned his 12th save in 13 opportunities. He gave up an RBI double in the ninth to Gerardo Parra before getting Didi Gregorius to fly out to center for the final out.

Arizona's Wade Miley (4-6) had been staked to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, in part on a two-run homer by catcher Miguel Montero.

Miley faced the minimum over the first three innings and had allowed only a walk to Grandal when Everth Cabrera led off the fourth with a single to right. Chris Denorfia followed with a hard shot to shortstop that Gregorius misplayed for an error.

Chase Headley drove in San Diego's first run with a single to center. After Kyle Blanks reached on a fielder's choice, Logan Forsythe hit a sacrifice fly to score Denorfia. Jesus Guzman followed with a single to right, and Grandal, who served a 50-game suspension for testing positive for elevated levels of testosterone, hit his first homer of the year — a 442-foot shot into the left-field bleachers.

That gave the Padres a 5-3 lead on five unearned runs. Kyle Blanks added his seventh home run in the sixth off Miley to extend San Diego's advantage.

The Diamondbacks had score their third run in the fourth when Cliff Pennington's fielder's choice with the bases loaded scored Cody Ross.

Arizona threatened in the eighth on singles by Gregorius and Montero, but Dale Thayer struck out Cody Ross and Jason Kubel looking to end the inning.

NOTES: Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said he hasn't heard anything about the appeals of his players' suspensions from their fight with the Dodgers earlier this week. Arizona will likely play with a 24-man roster with pitcher Ian Kennedy being given a 10-game suspension. Gibson is confident the suspensions will be staggered, allowing the team to mix and match position players. ... Arizona 2B Aaron Hill was scheduled to make a minor league rehab start Saturday night for Triple -A Reno at Tucson. He will play Sunday, take off on Monday and play for Reno at home on Tuesday and Wednesday. Gibson was hopeful that Hill would play at least five innings. Hill has been sidelined since April 11 with a slight fracture in his left hand. ... Padres OF Carlos Quentin was out of the starting lineup because of an injured left shoulder, which he said he hurt taking a swing on Friday. ... Former Padres catcher John Baker was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday and optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. ... Clayton Richard, originally scheduled to pitch Saturday, will start Sunday. Padres manager Bud Black said he wanted to keep Marquis on regular rest and gave the struggling Richard an extra day between starts. Richard (1-5, 8.06) will be opposed by Kennedy (3-4, 5.49) who is appealing his suspension.

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