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Friars send Harang to the hill in Miami

Jul 20, 2011 - 2:34 PM (Sports Network) - Right-hander Aaron Harang continues a breakout season with his hometown team tonight when the San Diego Padres visit Sun Life Stadium for the middle test of a three-game series with the Florida Marlins.

The 31-year-old improved to 7-2 in 2011 with a 7-3 defeat of the Washington Nationals on June 9, surpassing the win total of six that he'd logged in three consecutive seasons with the Cincinnati Reds before he was released in the offseason.

Harang was a double-digit winner for the Reds four times, including 16-win seasons in both 2006 and 2007.

He's allowed just 87 hits and 33 earned runs in 93 overall innings and surrendered two earned runs or less in seven straight starts reaching back to mid-May.

He is 3-3 in 10 career starts against the Marlins.

Florida counters with righty Ricky Nolasco, who's recorded his last two wins by complete game.

The 28-year-old Californian allowed five hits in a 3-0 defeat of Oakland on June 29 and gave up a single run on seven hits while defeating Houston, 6-1, on July 9.

In the subsequent starts to those wins, he dropped 1-0 and 2-1 decisions to Philadelphia and the Chicago Cubs, respectively.

Nolasco has pitched six innings and given up three earned runs or less in five straight starts - winning two.

Florida is 8-12 in his 20 starts this season.

On Tuesday, Tim Stauffer tossed six scoreless innings and the Padres bullpen was effective in a 4-0 victory.

Stauffer (6-6) yielded only four hits while fanning four and walking two. Chad Qualls, Mike Adams, Luke Gregerson and Heath Bell combined to seal the six-hitter for the Padres, who snapped their five-game road losing streak.

Bell recorded the final out to earn his 27th save of the season.

Ryan Ludwick collected a pair of hits, including an RBI double, while Cameron Maybin added an RBI single and two stolen bases in his first game against his former team.

Anibal Sanchez (6-3) went six innings, giving up two runs on seven hits while striking out seven and walking two.

Emilio Bonifacio had an infield single in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to 18 games, the longest active streak in the majors. Gaby Sanchez added two hits for the Marlins, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.

San Diego was 6-3 against the Marlins last season.