BALTIMORE (AP) - Playing in a small ballpark against the horrendous Baltimore pitching staff, the San Diego Padres enjoyed two days of batting practice during their first road sweep of the season.
Franmil Reyes hit two of San Diego’s five homers, Eric Hosmer drove in four runs and the Padres pounded the skidding Orioles 10-5 on Wednesday.
Greg Garcia got the long ball barrage started with a two-run drive in the second inning off Dylan Bundy (3-10). After Reyes hit a solo shot in the third and a two-run drive in the fifth to make it 6-3, Hosmer went deep with a runner on in the sixth and Hunter Renfroe connected leading off the seventh.
After dropping three straight in Pittsburgh, the Padres salvaged the road trip by hitting nine home runs and outscoring the Orioles 18-8.
“The offense really stepped up and carried us these two games,” manager Andy Green said. “We had a lot of really good swings. It was fun to watch some of our guys find their groove. Up and down the lineup, we had some really good at-bats.”
Of course they did, because they were facing a pitching staff that has already yielded 165 home runs. This was the 10th time this season the Orioles have surrendered at least five in one game.
Frustrated first-year manager Brandon Hyde dealt with postgame questions with hyperbole. After being asked if the hot weather was to blame for all the home runs, Hyde responded, “I thought Fanmill’s got blown out a little bit. I thought the wind helped that one go 575 feet.”
And asked about the plight of the pitching staff, Hyde said, “When you have a team with a 6.00 ERA and have given up 1,400 homers so far, it’s hard to win games.
San Diego hadn’t homered four times in successive games since Aug. 24-25, 2007, against Philadelphia.
“It’s a homer-friendly ballpark. It’s pretty obvious right away,” Green said.
Jonathan Villar and Pedro Severino homered for the Orioles, who have lost 13 of 14. Baltimore owns the worst record in the majors (22-58) and the worst at home (9-30).
Wrapping up his brief return to Camden Yards, Padres third baseman Manny Machado went 1 for 4 with a walk to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. But his career-best run of eight straight games with an RBI ended.
Machado spent the first seven years of his big league career with the Orioles, who traded him last July in a cost-cutting move. He signed a $300 million, 10-year contract with San Diego in February.
San Diego starter Matt Strahm (3-6) pitched six innings, allowing four runs and five hits with nine strikeouts and no walks. The lefty was 0-3 with a 9.64 ERA in his previous four starts.
“I was trying to be too fine. I was trying to be Greg Maddux, and there’s only one Greg Maddux,” Strahm said.
Craig Stammen got the last four outs for his fourth save.
Baltimore has been swept in eight series this season.
“There’s not a whole lot of bright spots when you give up 18 runs in two games to the Padres,” Hyde said. “It’s tough to win that way.”
BIG SHORTSTOP
Orioles second-round draft pick Gunnar Henderson, a 6-foot-3 shortstop from John T. Morgan Academy in Alabama who signed on Tuesday, was introduced to the crowd after the third inning. “He’s physical. Big kid, really athletic,” Hyde said. “I love the fact that we’re getting middle-of-the-field athletes. It’s what we need in this organization.”
Baltimore also announced the signing of its third-round pick, CF Zach Watson.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: OF Wil Myers was out of the starting lineup for the second day in a row. Myers is hitting .163 (8 for 49) with no homers and two RBIs since June 6. “It wasn’t really a great offensive rhythm that he’s been in, so stepping back with these off days and the two days in between could be really productive,” Green said.
Orioles: LHP Josh Rogers was placed on the 10-day injured list, and it appears as if an elbow operation is in his future. “There’s pretty good evidence that there’s something wrong structurally. Probably going to have to be repaired,” Rogers said. He will get a second opinion. LHP Paul Fry was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. … LHP John Means (shoulder strain) will come off the IL on Friday and start against Cleveland. … OF Mark Trumbo (knee) is “feeling better” after receiving an injection, Hyde said. Trumbo has not played this season. … OF DJ Stewart (ankle sprain) played a game in the Gulf Coast League on Tuesday. “He’s coming along,” Hyde said.
UP NEXT
Padres: San Diego has Thursday off. LHP Eric Lauer (5-7, 4.32 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday in the opener of a three-game series against visiting St. Louis.
Orioles: After taking Thursday off, Baltimore launches a three-game series against Cleveland. The Orioles will then spend the final week before the All-Star break on the road.
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