Baltimore, MD – Everth Cabrera drove in the go-ahead run with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the San Diego Padres past the Baltimore Orioles, 3-2, in the opener of a brief two-game set at Camden Yards.
Baltimore took a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning on a Steve Pearce RBI single, but couldn't close it out in the final frame.
The Padres put runners at first and second with no outs, but Jim Johnson (1-3) was able to get Jedd Gyorko to ground into a 6-4-3 double play. Yonder Alonso, though, moved to third on the play then scored when Chris Denorfia singled to center field.
After Nick Hundley was hit by a pitch, Cabrera laced a single past a diving J.J. Hardy to bring Denorfia around.
"To get to (Johnson) is a great accomplishment for us," Padres manager Bud Black said. "Those are great on the road, they really are, to snatch one back when they took the lead."
Carlos Quentin had a solo homer for the Padres, who had dropped three straight games entering the contest. Luke Gregerson (2-2) recorded the final out of the eighth to get the win and Huston Street stranded a runner in the ninth to earn his ninth save of the season.
Johnson had converted a franchise-record 35-straight saves entering the contest.
"It was the first time I'd ever seen it happen," Orioles second baseman Ryan Flaherty said of Johnson's blown save. "That streak was incredible. He comes in the game and it's 1-2-3, and the game's over. You get accustomed to that."
Quentin opened the second with a homer. The Padres loaded the bases later in the frame, but Chris Tillman was able to get Cabrera to strike out to end the threat.
Flaherty answered with a leadoff blast of his own in the third to even the score.
In the eighth, Flaherty worked a one-out walk and was replaced on the bases by Alexi Casilla, who promptly stole second and moved up to third as Hundley's throw skipped into center field. Pearce then fisted a single to left field, scoring Casilla easily.
Game Notes
San Diego improved to 5-5 all-time against the Orioles ... Padres right fielder Will Venable saw his seven-game hitting streak come to an end ... San Diego starter Andrew Cashner gave up two runs -- one earned -- on five hits over 7 1/3 innings ... Johnson's last blown save came July 27, 2012 ... Tillman was tagged for one run on four hits while striking out seven over seven frames.
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