Matt Waldron threw seven strong innings for the San Diego Padres in a 4-0 win against the visiting Miami Marlins on Tuesday night in the middle game of their three-game series.
Jeremiah Estrada struck out the side in a non-save situation in the ninth, giving him 13 consecutive strikeouts during his past three appearances, a modern MLB record.
Waldron (3-5), the only knuckleballer in the majors, scattered six hits, struck out eight — all on knuckleballs — and did not walk a batter.
Jurickson Profar homered, singled and drove in three runs for the Padres, who have won three in a row. Donovan Solano had three and an RBI, and Fernando Tatis Jr. had two hits and a run scored for San Diego.
Marlins left-hander Jesus Luzardo (2-4) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked two for Miami, which has dropped three of four.
The only Miami players who looked comfortable in the batter’s box against Waldron were Josh Bell and Jake Burger, who combined for five of the six hits.
Luzardo, who had compiled 14 shutout innings in his previous two outings, gave up a two-run homer to Profar in the first inning.
Tatis delivered a one-out single before Profar hit a 3-1 fastball that barely cleared the reach of leaping center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr., landing in the San Diego bullpen for a 2-0 lead.
Luis Arraez and Tatis had back-to-back singles in the fifth before Profar rolled a changeup through the left side to score Arraez from second and extend the lead to 3-0.
Solano gave the Padres some insurance with a two-out RBI double in the eighth to make it 4-0.
Bell and Burger each singled in the fourth and sixth innings, but Waldron struck out Nick Gordon to end the fourth and got Gordon to ground out to second to end the sixth.
The Padres, who won the series opener 2-1 on Monday night, will go for the sweep on Wednesday afternoon.
