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Eckstein helps Padres rally past Marlins 6-4

Apr 28, 2010 - 8:28 PM By STEVEN WINE AP Sports Writer

MIAMI(AP) -- It was still morning rush hour back home in California when the San Diego Padres took the field Wednesday, and they were slow getting to work.

The Padres dug a four-run hole, then rallied and shut out the Florida Marlins over the final 6 1-3 innings to win 6-4.

David Eckstein hit a three-run double in the fifth inning, when San Diego scored five times. Kevin Correia (4-1) won his fourth start in a row despite lasting only five innings.

The game began at 12:10 p.m. - 9:10 a.m. in San Diego.

"It's hard to get off that California time," said Correia, who trailed 4-0 by the third inning. "It was an early game, and the Marlins were swinging right out of the box. I didn't feel that bad, but I felt like I had to battle for every out. I didn't get any easy out."

San Diego's Adrian Gonzalez walked three times and singled home the go-ahead run in the fifth. Yorvit Torrealba hit his first homer and scored twice.

Jorge Cantu, who began the day tied for the NL lead with 20 RBIs, drove in two runs with his fifth homer and a sacrifice fly to help the Marlins build their early lead.

"We're on the road with a 12 o'clock start, and they grabbed the momentum," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "Our pitching halted it."

Four Padres relievers combined to allow only two hits over the final four innings. Heath Bell struck out two in the ninth to earn his sixth save in seven chances.

"There are times you've got to use five pitchers in a win," Black said. "Everybody did their job."

The Padres, who began the day tied with San Francisco for the NL West lead, finished 4-2 on a two-city trip. They won despite striking out 11 times and being out-hit 10-7.

Nate Robertson (2-2), working on three days' rest, held San Diego hitless until the fourth but failed to retire a batter in the fifth, when the Padres' first six batters reached.

"We had it going pretty good, but everything just kind of fell apart all at once," Florida's Dan Uggla said.

Oscar Salazar led off the inning with a double when center fielder Cameron Maybin misjudged the ball and let it fly over his head. Torrealba and Correia walked, and Jerry Hairston singled home a run. Eckstein pulled an 0-2 pitch up the line to clear the bases, with Hairston running through a stop sign at third before he slid home ahead of the throw.

"I felt like it was 1998 - I felt pretty good running," Hairston said. "I saw the stop sign but I had already hit third, and I decided I was going to go."

Gonzalez's single put the Padres ahead.

"We scratched and clawed and were able to have a big inning," Hairston said. "That's the story of this team. We keep fighting, and we find different ways to win."

Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez declined to blame Maybin's poor route for triggering the Padres' comeback.

"That wasn't the difference in the game," Gonzalez said. "We still can't walk two guys and let the inning get away from us like that."

Robertson agreed.

"It's 4-0, and it's my job to help us maintain that lead, and I just didn't do that," he said. "Just a very, very poor fifth inning. It's just a letdown, and it's not real fun to take about it right now."

The crowd of 16,310 consisted mostly of schoolchildren thanks to a TV station promotion, and fans whooped it up early. Florida's first three batters singled, and Wes Helms' hit scored Maybin. Cantu followed with a sacrifice fly.

The Marlins made it 3-0 in the second. Ronny Paulino led off with a single and scored when Robertson hit into a bases-loaded double play.

NOTES: Padres INF Everth Cabrera (right hamstring) again sat out. He's day to day. ... Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez was held out of the starting lineup for the first time this year. 1B Gaby Sanchez also got a day off. ... Umpire Jerry Crawford worked at third base less than 24 hours after leaving Tuesday' s game when he was struck in the ribs by a foul ball. ... San Diego pulled even in all-time series 66-66. ... RHP Ricky Nolasco, scheduled to start Friday for Florida against Washington, is 7-1 with a 3.86 ERA in 11 starts versus the Nationals. ... The Marlins came into the game hitting .322 with runners on base, best in the majors.