Padres 8, Orioles 4
BALTIMORE -- Light-hitting utilityman Alexi Amarista had a day to remember Tuesday, propelling the San Diego Padres to an 8-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles and a two-game sweep.
The 24-year-old center fielder, who had already doubled and scored in his first two at-bats, put the capper on the Padres' offensive outburst by blasting a two-run homer to one of the deepest parts of the park off Baltimore reliever Tommy Hunter in the seventh inning.
It was stunning production from San Diego's eight-hole hitter, who entered the game batting .233 with nine RBI in 73 at-bats.
It was that kind of day for the Padres, who peppered Orioles pitching for 17 hits, chasing Baltimore starter Freddy Garcia (0-2) from the game early and getting production from the entire lineup. Every Padres starter got a hit, and San Diego equaled their season-high total, set April 30 against the Chicago Cubs.
The Orioles were swept for the first time this year despite the efforts of Manny Machado, who went 4 for 5 with a career-high three doubles, and J.J. Hardy and Matt Wieters, who each had solo home runs.
Baltimore was able to get San Diego starter Jason Marquis (5-2) in trouble for most of his five-plus innings, but aside from the solo shots, Marquis escaped further damage as the Orioles left 10 men on base.
The bottom part of the Padres' lineup nicked Garcia early, with Jedd Gyorko's single and Amerista's ground-rule double setting the stage for light-hitting catcher John Baker, who entered the game with just three hits this season and in the midst of an 0-for-19 skid. But Baker served a single into short right to give San Diego a 2-0 advantage.
Baltimore answered in the bottom of the second when Hardy jumped all over a 2-0 pitch from Marquis and deposited it into the second row in left for his seventh homer of the season to close the gap to 2-1.
Seldom-used outfielder Kyle Blanks crushed the first pitch he saw in the fourth deep over the wall in left to extend the Padres' lead to 3-1. Before the inning was over, San Diego had knocked the erratic Garcia from the game after adding another run.
Wieters hit his sixth homer of the season to lead off the fourth and trim the deficit to 4-2.
NOTES: Garcia's start was the 347th of his career, the 10th most among active pitchers. Marquis is 20th after his 297th start. ... Since the fifth inning of San Diego's April 30 game against Chicago, the Padres have scored 35 runs with two outs. ... Cabrera's steal in the second inning was the Padres' 29th of the season, tying them for second in the majors with Baltimore and Toronto. ... San Diego returns home Thursday to start a three-game series with Washington, and Baltimore has an off day before Tampa Bay comes to town for a weekend set.
