Bullpen struggles as San Diego Padres lose 10-3 to Baltimore Orioles

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Padres got a solid start from Eric Stults and a shaky effort from their bullpen.

Stults pitched seven effective innings and Jedd Gyorko hit a three-run homer Wednesday, but two San Diego relievers failed to record an out in the eighth and the Padres went on to a 10-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.

"We had a little bit of a breakdown in our bullpen," Padres manager Bud Black said.

Chris Davis hit his major league-best 41st homer in Baltimore's four-run eighth inning. He also walked and scored on J.J. Hardy's two-run single as the Orioles added three more runs in the ninth.

Davis belted a tiebreaking three-run shot into the bleachers in right-center on the first pitch from Colt Hynes. The drive traveled an estimated 453 feet, making it one of the longest home runs in the history of spacious Petco Park.

"I don't know if it's the longest one I ever hit," Davis said, "but it's one of the longer ones. It helped that the wind was blowing out a little bit.

"I think I had some pitches earlier in the game that I could have hit, so to get that pitch early and to put a good swing on felt pretty good."

Luke Gregerson (5-6) allowed singles to Manny Machado and Adam Jones before Davis went deep, giving him a majors-best 106 RBIs.

Gyorko hit his 10th homer in the sixth for San Diego, which has dropped three of four. Alexi Amarista had two hits.

The Orioles' scoring outburst handed a win to Francisco Rodriguez (1-0), who struck out two in a perfect seventh inning. Troy Patton and Darren O'Day then combined for the final two innings.

San Diego wasted a good effort by Stults, who allowed three runs, two earned, and five hits, struck out six and walked one.

"Stults hung in there and he got out of a couple of potential situations where the game could have gotten away from him," Black said. "I thought he threw the ball really well."

Hardy hit his 19th homer in the second inning, driving an 0-2 pitch over the wall in left.

"My command wasn't good, especially the fastball glove side," Stults said. "That's where I tried to throw a fastball because I was ahead. The fastball came back over and he put a good swing on it."

The Orioles used San Diego's sloppy defense to score single runs in the fourth and fifth.

Machado reached on second baseman Gyorko's error in the fourth. Adam Jones followed with a sharp single up the middle and Machado came around to score when Amarista threw the ball into Baltimore's dugout while trying to get the runner at third.

Stults' error on pitcher Miguel Gonzalez's sacrifice in the fifth allowed the Orioles to load the bases with no outs. Nick Markakis popped out, but Machado singled to center to give Baltimore a 3-0 lead.

Gonzalez struck out eight in six innings and was charged with three runs and six hits.

"I felt Miggy was as good as anything that happened in the game," Showalter said. "He gave a up a 3-2 walk and a broken-bat single to left and then made one or two mistakes. The game isn't always fair."

NOTES: Padres OF Carlos Quentin (right knee) remained out of the starting lineup. He could be headed for the disabled list if he is unable to play this weekend in Cincinnati. "We are giving him every opportunity to get to the point where he can play whether it's in a pinch-hitter role or back on the field full bore," Black said. "We are coming closer to the decision whether to put him on DL or whether we can wait another day or two." ... SS Ronny Cedeno, who was promoted on Tuesday, went 0 for 4 in his San Diego debut. ... Orioles RHP Jason Hammel, who is on the DL with a right flexor mass strain (between forearm and elbow), tried to throw Tuesday, but manager Buck Showalter said he's still experiencing "some discomfort" and might not be ready to come off the DL when he's eligible on Tuesday. ... Showalter said minor league LHP Tsuyoshi Wada from Japan could be a potential September call-up as a reliever and possibly a starter. He threw five scoreless innings for Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday night and has had back-to-back scoreless outings.