Orioles’ Bullpen Struggles In 10-7 Home Loss To Padres

After gaining a lead into the seventh, the Baltimore’s bullpen fell apart and the Orioles suffered a 10-7 home loss to the San Diego Padres in Tuesday night’s series opener.

Orioles’ Bullpen Struggles In 10-7 Home Loss To Padres

The Padres posted double-digit hits, including four from right fielder Matt Kemp. San Diego closer Fernando Rodney, who had not allowed an earned run all season, came in to retire Adam Jones with the bases loaded in the eighth and the score 7-6. Rodney allowed a two-out RBI single to Pedro Alvarez– who drove in five– in the ninth, but earned his 15th save.

“You couldn’t ask for more from him,” Padres manager Andy Green said of Rodney. “Just wish there wasn’t a blemish on his ERA now.”

San Diego has now won three straight, and increased its batting average to .290, the best in the National League. Baltimore, meanwhile, has two consecutive losses and remains at the top of the American League East.

The Orioles took a 6-3 lead into the seventh after a decent outing by starting right-hander Tyler Wilson, who went six innings and allowed three runs on nine hits.

Kemp then got things started in the eighth with a double off right-hander Mychal Givens (5-1), who failed to retire any of the five batters he faced. Givens issued a bases-loaded walk to Derek Norris, after which Oliver Drake– who was recalled by the Orioles from Triple-A Norfolk– immediately blasted a wild pitch to let in the tying run. Christian Bethancourt then hit a run-scoring grounder.

“We’ve got a lot of guys learning the job without much major league experience, with Tyler being one of them,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “And Mychal and Oliver. I can keep rattling them off, but no one wants to hear about it.”

The Padres then pulled ahead with three runs off left-hander Zach Britton in the ninth, the last of them on an RBI single by Kemp.

“We just didn’t execute pitches down there,” Britton said of the bullpen. “For me especially, trying to keep that game close right there, a one-run game. Especially with our offense, we know that they can put some runs on the board. Just a frustrating performance.”

Alvarez hit a two-run homer in the fourth to make it 4-3 and then connected with a man on in the fifth to push the score to 6-3. It was the Dominican designated hitter’s 11th career multi-homer game and first since Aug. 23, 2014.

Both drives came off rookie Luis Perdomo, who allowed six runs and seven hits in five innings. The right-hander also, however, recorded a career-high eight strikeouts.

Kevin Quackenbush (5-3) earned the win with one inning of scoreless relief.

Givens was 7-0 in his career before Tuesday’s game, which increased his ERA from 2.70 to 3.78.

The two teams will face off for the two-game series finale at Oriole Park on Wednesday night. Right-hander Erik Johnson (0-2, 8.44 ERA) will start for the Padres. Johnson has lost all four of his outings this season. Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez will start for Baltimore in the final game of third baseman Manny Machado’s four-game suspension since his brawl with Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura on June 7 at Camden Yards.

PHOTO: BALTIMORE, MD – JUNE 21: Starting pitcher Tyler Wilson #63 of the Baltimore Orioles throws a pitch to a San Diego Padres batter in the first inning during a MLB baseball game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 21, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)