BALTIMORE — Ryan Mountcastle hit a pair of two-run singles, Cedric Mullins made a terrific catch in center field and the Baltimore Orioles held off the Padres 8-6 on Sunday to snap San Diego's seven-game winning streak.
The Orioles scored six runs in the third, when their first six hitters reached base before Randy Vásquez (3-6) was pulled. By then, he'd already walked in a run, allowed an RBI single to Ryan O'Hearn and yielded a single by Mountcastle that made it 4-0.
Mullins hit a two-run double later that inning, and then the Orioles nearly blew their six-run lead. San Diego scored three runs in the fifth, and Xander Bogaerts hit a two-run homer the following inning.
In the eighth, Mullins made a running catch on Manny Machado's drive before slamming into the wall. Mountcastle then drove in two runs in the bottom of the inning with a two-out hit to give the Orioles a bit of a cushion.
''That was a big win for us,'' Mountcastle said. ''Hopefully we keep it rolling next series, stay positive and just keep grinding it out.''
AL East-leading Baltimore had lost five of six, but the vibe felt different from the start Sunday, when the Orioles celebrated the life and legacy of Mo Gaba, a 14-year-old fan who died four years ago after several battles with cancer. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson made a standout play in the second, diving to stop a grounder on the other side of second base and then throwing to first while rolling over on the ground to retire David Peralta.
Henderson did make two errors, brining his total to five in the last four games. Albert Suárez, whose future in the rotation is uncertain after Baltimore acquired Zach Eflin from Tampa Bay, was lifted one out shy of qualifying for a win. Jacob Webb, Cionel Pérez (2-0), Seranthony Domínguez and Yennier Cano pitched out of the bullpen.
Cano came on in the ninth with a three-run lead instead of struggling closer Craig Kimbrel. Cano's first two batters reached on infield hits. Henderson nearly made another spectacular play on a grounder by Peralta — similar to the one in the second — but he bounced the throw for an error and the batter ended up on second. Then Henderson was unable to glove Ha-Seong Kim's two-hopper.