Rookie Leads Marlins Over Padres

It was a day of firsts for Florida: Jesus Sanchez got his first career win, Jay Powell got his first save of the season and the Florida Marlins got their first shutout since last Aug. 29.

"I am very happy with my first victory," Sanchez said after leading Florida over the San Diego Padres 2-0 Sunday. "Every inning they had men on base, it seemed, so I really had to concentrate a lot more."

Sanchez (1-1), acquired from the Mets during the offseason as part of the Al Leiter trade, made his third career start and allowed four hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked four.

"Sanchez is a young guy. He is going to have his ups and downs. But he knows what he is doing out there," Marlins manager Jim Leyland said. "He's acquired poise as we've gone along."

In his previous two starts, both against Colorado, Sanchez failed to last past the sixth. He hadn't pitched above Double-A before this season.

"He pitched a heck of a game and we stunk it up," Padres outfielder Greg Vaughn said.

Felix Heredia pitched a perfect seventh, and Powell got six outs for his first save since last Aug. 4.

Andy Ashby (4-2) gave up the one run and seven hits in seven innings for the Padres. He struck out seven, including five straight during the fourth and fifth innings.

Florida got its run in the second when Jim Eisenreich singled with one out, took third on Charles Johnson's single and scored on Craig Counsell's groundout.

San Diego's best scoring opportunity came in the third, when the Padres loaded the bases on two walks and an infield single. But Vaughn hit an inning-ended liner to left.

In the fourth, the Padres put runners at first and second with one out, but Chris Gomez and Ashby struck out. Florida got out of a first-and-third jam with two outs in the sixth when Ashby popped to second.

San Diego let Ashby hit because it was short in the bullpen. Sterling Hitchcock was unavailable because he is making his second start of the season Monday at Milwaukee. Closer Trevor Hoffman had pitched in three consecutive games.

"He is not an automatic out, and he can do some things with the bat," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. "I could go through that 100 times and I wouldn't ht for him."

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