Orioles 4, Padres 1
Bud Norris tossed six strong innings and Adam Jones went 4-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs as visiting Baltimore took the opener of the brief two-game interleague series.
Norris (8-9) allowed a run and five hits while striking out five to improve to 2-0 in two starts since joining the Orioles. Chris Davis and Manny Machado each added an RBI while Jim Johnson picked up his 39th save for Baltimore, which remained 1 1/2 games behind the Texas Rangers in the race for the second American League wild-card spot.
Edinson Volquez (8-9) was the tough-luck loser after yielding two runs and six hits in six frames. Yonder Alonso drove in the lone run as the Padres fell for the third time in 10 games.
Nate McLouth led off the contest with a double and eventually came in to score on Jones’ two-out single to center. Jones led off the fourth by blasting a first-pitch changeup to the warehouse in left, doubling the lead.
Norris allowed three straight singles to begin the sixth but got three outs with the tying run in scoring position to keep Baltimore on top. Jones struck again in the eighth, reaching with a two-out single and stealing second before coming home on Davis’ double.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Jones’ last four-hit performance came on Sept. 24, 2012 against the Toronto Blue Jays. … The Padres were playing their first game since SS Everth Cabrera received a 50-game suspension due to his link to the Biogenesis PED scandal. Cabrera apologized to his teammates in both English and Spanish during a closed-door meeting prior to the game. Logan Forsythe started at shortstop and went 1-for-4. … The Orioles reinstated 2B Brian Roberts from the paternity list and optioned 3B Danny Valencia to Triple-A Norfolk prior to the contest.