The San Diego Padres retired jersey number 51 in honor of their legendary closer Trevor Hoffman on Sunday. The pregame ceremony was held before the final game of the series against the team that traded him to San Diego, the Florida Marlins. The ceremony featured several teammates during Trevor’s 18 year career and also culminated with the four other Padres with retired numbers, Steve Garvey (6), Tony Gwynn (19), Dave Winfield (31) and Randy Jones (35), walking from centerfield to meet Trevor at the mound before the pulled the hood off of Trevor’s “51” atop the batters eye.

Though they did miss out on the storybook ending when Heath Bell blew the save with two-outs in the ninth, Nick Hundley tripled off the centerfield wall to start the ninth, setting the stage for Will Venable’s walk-off single to seal the sweep and cap a perfect day.

August 18^th, 2011 Padres 3, Marlins 1

WP Tim Stauffer (8-9) 7IP 5H 1R 1ER 1BB 5K 1HR

LP Javier Vasquez (7-11) 6IP 5H 3R 3ER 0BB 5K 0HR

S Heath Bell (33) 1IP 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR

Tim Stauffer bounced back from a forgettable start in Cincinnati with seven strong innings, allowing just a run on a solo homer to lead the Padres over the Marlins on Thursday, 3-1. He allowed only five hits and walked just one in his first start since giving up five longballs.

The Legend of Jesus Guzman grew as well, with the Padres power-hitting first baseman knocking in a two-run triple (2) down the right field line in the first.

Nick Hundley led off the next inning with a triple of his own, the fourth one this season for the Padres’ catcher.

Logan Forsythe lifted a fly ball to centerfield, allowing Hundley to score on the sacrifice fly.

Heath Bell came in and pitched a perfect ninth, with three fly outs to save his 33^rd game of the season.

August 19^th, 2011 Padres 4, Marlins 3

WP Wade LeBlanc (2-2) 5.1IP 6H 3R 3ER 4BB 3K 0HR

LP Chris Volstad (5-10) 5IP 6H 4R 4ER 1BB 7K 1HR

S Heath Bell (34) 1IP 0H 0R 0ER 1BB 0K 0HR

Wade LeBlanc had a shaky start, but left with a lead and with the help of five Padres relievers got a 4-3 win, Friday night. Kyle Blanks hit a go-ahead two run homerun (4) in the bottom of the fourth scoring Jesus Guzman as well.

The Marlins took an early lead in the top of the first when Greg Dobbs hit a two out single and then scored on a double (7) by Jose Lopes.

But the Padres answered back the next inning when Will Venable walked and the stoles his 23^rd base before advancing to third on a grundout by Jason Bartlett. Cam Maybin then hit a line drive to center field, tying the game with an RBI (33) single.

Pitcher Chris Volstad helped himself by retaking the lead for the Marlins with a run-scoring double (1) in the top of the fourth. The lead stood for less than an inning when Blanks homered in the bottom half.

The Padres and Marlins each added another run with Bartlett’s RBI single in the fifth and when reliever Erik Hamren walked Emilio Bonafacio with the bases loaded in the sixth.

Heath Bell walked the first batter he faced and then recorded deep flyball outs to the next three batters, the last from the bat of Mike Cameron to the warning track in centerfield, ending the game and giving him his 34^th save.

August 20^h, 2011 Padres 14, Marlins 1

WP Aaron Harang (12-3) 6IP 3H 1R 1ER 5BB 6K 1HR

LP Clay Hensley (1-5) 3.2IP 7H 7R 7ER 2BB 6K 2HR

The Padres offense was as efficient as could be, scoring 14 runs on 16 hits as they beat the Marlins by 13 on Saturday night. Nick Hundley led the offensive charge when he flirted with the cycle again when he went 4-4 with a homerun (5) and two doubles (9). Aaron Harang added to his team lead with his twelfth win when he pitched very well over seven innings, only allowing a solo homer (4) to Jose Lopez in the sixth.

The Padres offensive tear started in the first with back-to-back homers by Orlando Hudson and Kyle Blanks. Hudson’s shot (4) came with two runners on, giving the Padres a 3-0 lead. Blanks added another run with his second homer (5) in as many games.

The Marlins held the Padres scoreless until the Padres added three more runs in the fourth, highlighted by RBI double by Logan Forsythe (8) and Cam Maybin (18).

They added another three the next inning with another RBI single by Forsythe before Will Venable knocked in two more with a triple (6).

The Padres added four more in the sixth, with RBI’s by Hudson (36) and Blanks (14) before Hundley cleared the wall to knock in two more (20) to give the Padres their fourteenth run in this laugher over the fish.

August 21^st, 2011 Padres 4, Marlins 3

WP Heath Bell (3-4) 1.1IP 3H 1R 1ER 1BB 1K 1HR

LP Edward Mujica (8-5) 1IP 1H 1R 1ER 2BB 1K 0HR

The Padres jumped to an early lead on Trevor Hoffman’s special day starting with a leadoff homer by Will Venable. The home run was his third to lead off a game this year, his fifth overall. Later in the inning with two on and two out, Kyle Blanks launched a double (5) to the gap deep in left-center field, scoring Cam Maybin and Orlando Hudson to put the Padres up 3-0.

Mike Stanton absolutely creamed the ball off the second deck in left field to put Marlins on the board in the fourth, with a solo homer (30).

Luke Gregerson gave up a single to pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs with one out in the eighth. Dobbs then advanced to both second and third on consecutive wild pitches before scoring on a sacrifice fly ball to right field hit by John Buck. After surrendering another hit, Bud Black brought in Heath Bell to pick up the final out of the eighth. He retired Omar infant for the third out.

Heater came back out in the ninth to finish of the game to pick up the save. He got a fantastic play by Alberto Gonzalez who scooped the ball, spun and threw out the runner, Mike Stanton, for the first out. He then got Jose Lopez to ground out for the second out. Mike Cameron then ruined the storybook ending with a solo homer to tie the game, 3-3.

Nick Hundley led off the ninth with a triple (5) off the wall to put the winning run 90 feet away. They then intentionally walked both Logan Forsythe and Alberto Gonzalez to load the base with no-outs to face Will Venable. Venable lined a single over the head of Mike Stanton in right field to win the game, 4-3.