MIAMI — Watching Cameron Maybin this week, Jack McKeon saw the kind of performance he envisioned when the speedy center fielder first joined the Florida Marlins.
Only now Maybin plays for the San Diego Padres.
Maybin had four more hits and a home-run-saving catch Thursday to help the Padres complete a three-game sweep by beating Florida 5-3. He went 9 for 14 with five runs and five stolen bases in the three games against his former team.
"I see a different guy," said McKeon, the Marlins' manager. "I see a guy who is tremendously improved. He's a much better hitter. What they did to him over there, I don't know. I don't know why he didn't do it with us."
Maybin batted .246 for Florida while splitting his time between the majors and minors in 2008-10. Traded to San Diego last November, he's now an everyday big leaguer, and the showing in Miami lifted his average to .277.
"To sweep these guys, it definitely means a lot to me," Maybin said. "I've got so many buddies over there. They have been talking trash the whole time, but I do honestly love all those guys."
Maybin helped the light-hitting Padres outscore Florida 23-6 in the series.
"They probably scored more runs in this series than they had scored all month," McKeon said.
When the sweep was complete, the Padres were pleased but also relieved. Second baseman Orlando Hudson avoided serious injury when he collided with a wall after catching a pop foul. He was expected to be fine and was likely to rejoin the Padres in Philadelphia on Friday, a team spokesman said.
BRAVES 9, ROCKIES 6: At Denver, Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman each homered and had two hits and Atlanta overcame a shaky start by Tommy Hanson to beat Colorado. Brooks Conrad homered and Nate McLouth had two hits apiece for Atlanta, which earned a split of the four-game series. Carlos Gonzalez homered for the Rockies before leaving in the fifth inning with a right wrist injury while swinging — he fouled the ball off.
CARDINALS 6, METS 2: At New York, Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer in the first and Jake Westbrook had the Mets pounding the ball into the ground over eight excellent innings as St. Louis avoided a three-game sweep.
DIAMONDBACKS 4, BREWERS 0: At Phoenix, Ian Kennedy gave up four hits over seven innings to earn his 11th victory and the Arizona Diamondbacks got home runs from Justin Upton, Miguel Montero and Kelly Johnson to split the four-game series.