SAN DIEGO -- When the Marlins dealt catcher J.T. Realmuto in February, they were hopeful they might have landed a pitcher who will headline their pitching rotation someday. In the meantime, another piece of that deal is keeping things commensurate at the Major League level.

Catcher Jorge Alfaro has paid immediate dividends after arriving from the Phillies in that trade, providing a powerful bat to a lineup lacking in that department. The Marlins continued to cash in on Sunday afternoon as Alfaro homered, doubled and collected a career-high four RBIs in a 9-3 victory over the Padres at Petco Park.

“It feels good to help the team,” Alfaro said. “I’m just trying to go out there and compete, find a good pitch.”

• Box score

With their second straight victory, the Marlins took two of three in the weekend series and have won four of their past five series. They have won 11 of their past 16 games.

Starting pitcher Trevor Richards held the Padres to one hit and two walks in five innings. He struck out eight. The right-hander also was unfazed by a 28-minute bee delay in the bottom of the third inning.

After Richards’ first pitch to Josh Naylor, players and coaches on the field scrambled as a swarm of bees invaded Petco Park. They settled on a TV microphone near the Padres’ dugout, where a beekeeper duly cleared out the budding colony. After the delay, Richards returned to the mound and induced a flyout to center field to end the inning.

Alfaro, meanwhile, delivered a two-run homer in the second inning and a two-run double in the fourth inning, both off Padres left-hander Matt Strahm. The homer to center field left his bat at 111.3 mph and traveled 412 feet, per Statcast.

With nine home runs while playing catcher this season, Alfaro ranks third in among National League backstops, behind only the Cubs’ Willson Contreras (12) and the Brewers’ Yasmani Grandal (12). Alfaro also entered Sunday behind only those two among NL backstops in slugging (.469). Which, of course, puts him ahead of Realmuto in the power categories.

“You just try to have a good at-bat every time out. That’s all,” Alfaro said. “Just don’t try to do too much, just put the ball in play.”

The manner in which Alfaro has adjusted to the Marlins has impressed at least one teammate who can relate. Martín Prado went from Atlanta to Arizona when the D-backs moved star outfielder Justin Upton in 2013.

“It’s a lot of responsibility, Prado said. “You’re filling in for an All-Star-type of player. He’s trying to be a good teammate, encouraging the pitchers, being positive and getting that vibe with the pitches so they’re more comfortable with him. When you come in as a catcher with a new team and a new pitching staff, the biggest thing is bonding with a new staff. I think he’s done a very good job.”

Defense is hardly Alfaro’s forte, however; he does have six passed balls this year. But if he calls a good game and hits the way he has, he’ll be forgiven for not having the softest hands. On the offensive side, he not only has taken his power to the next level with regular at-bats but he also has shown slight improvement in his strikeout rate (36.6 to 33.5 percent), suggesting a more well-rounded hitter emerging.

“He’s a guy who’s been energetic,” manager Don Mattingly said. “He’s excited to be here. You can clearly see it. And the ball just jumps off his bat. He has a pretty good swing. We’ve tried to square him up and get him going to the middle of the field, let him know that’s where he needs to be.

“He’s stayed with it. He’s worked at it, and he’s been pretty consistent.”

The presumed key to the Realmuto deal for the Marlins is 20-year-old right-hander Sixto Sanchez, who is ranked as the team’s No. 1 prospect by MLB Pipeline and is pitching above his age at Double-A Jacksonville. While they wait for Sanchez to develop, the Marlins can rest easy that they didn’t create a hole at catcher to get that arm.

Richards’ changeup dazzles
Richards entered Sunday limiting opponents to a .183 batting average on his changeup. The Padres went 0-for-9 against the pitch, including six swinging third strikes and a foul bunt for strike three.

“It’s a really good pitch,” Alfaro said. “He goes out and competes with all he’s got every time.”

The only hit against Richards came on rookie Austin Allen’s bunt single against the infield shift to lead off the third inning. The Padres put only eight balls in play against him.

Notable
• The Marlins scored nine runs in back-to-back games for the first time since Sept. 22-23, 2017, at Arizona. The Padres turned to a position player Ty France to pitch the final inning on Sunday.

• JT Riddle made his first Major League outfield appearance when he entered the game in center field in the eighth inning.

• Rookie Harold Ramirez went 3-for-5 and has 25 hits. That’s a record for any Marlins player through his first 18 career games.