Canning's early trouble puts Padres in hole they can't dig out of

BALTIMORE -- Right-hander Griffin Canning was unable to build off his promising start against the Mets last week, allowing a season-high seven runs and two homers in a 7-3 loss to the Orioles in Friday's road opener at Camden Yards.

Canning was coming off his best outing since May 3. Last Saturday, he allowed just one earned run in five innings on three hits in a no-decision against the Mets.

But in muggy Baltimore, the Orioles had no trouble connecting with Canning early, piling up six runs on five hits in the first two innings.

The rough beginning marked another troubling example of how San Diego's starting staff has not been able to build consistency through a streak that has reached 13 losses in the past 17 games.

“To keep momentum going, you got to get off to a good start,” said manager Craig Stammen. “And we just got off to a bad start. We scored a run, but then you don't have the shutdown inning, give up three [and] then puts us behind the eight ball. We score another one, we are right back in the game and then give up another three-spot.

“Just tough for us to keep the positive attitude and the momentum going on our end.”

Home runs from Samuel Basallo and Gunnar Henderson, along with a two-run single down the left-field line by Pete Alonso, lit up the scoreboard as the Orioles built an early 7-2 lead.

“The changeup,” Canning said of the Basallo home run pitch. “I don't want to throw a changeup down and in. And then the one to Gunnar was just a sinker trying to go down and away, probably [ended up] pretty middle.”

Canning surrendered seven runs in five innings, allowing six hits with six strikeouts and a season-high five costly walks, including two free passes to begin the first two innings. The Orioles scored three runs in each of those frames.

“It's not going to end well for you when you continue to walk the leadoff guy,” Stammen said. “Even leadoff hits, you've got to really fight for that first-pitch strike, getting that first guy out of the inning. That sets you up for hopefully a scoreless inning. We weren't able to do that tonight.”

Canning has now allowed six homers in his past four starts. But the right-hander managed to finish five frames, handing the ball over to Wandy Peralta and David Morgan, who combined for three scoreless innings.

“That was huge for us,” Manny Machado said. “Obviously he wasn't feeling it in the first few innings. He settled in the last two. Gave up some walks there. Whenever you walk anybody, it’s going to come back to haunt you a little bit. He kept fighting, man. He gave us a couple more innings to help out the bullpen, obviously, starting off this road trip.”

The Padres were unable to mount the big comeback despite plenty of early chances, leaving six on base in the first three innings and finishing the game going 4-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Machado, who spent his first six-plus seasons in Baltimore, smacked a pair of line-drive doubles and scored once. But the at-bats he remembered were early when the Padres whiffed on big chances.

“I had an opportunity there in the first to maybe get [Fernando] Tatis Jr. in,” Machado said. “Got a good pitch to freakin' hit and I just missed it. Then again in the second, [I] had opportunity there with two outs, gave me two pitches to hit, and [I] didn't do it.”

Lutherville, Md., native Gavin Sheets went 2-for-4 with a single, double and two RBIs. Tatis connected on an RBI single and scored a run following Wednesday’s walk-off winner. Despite the loss, Machado sees some positives lately from the offense.

“We are getting those opportunities we didn't have two weeks ago or a week ago,” he said. “We are getting those again. I believe in the group in here that we are going to be able to cash those in.”