Dúran powers Padres at Camden while 3 mound visits prove key

BALTIMORE -- Backup catcher Rodolfo Durán blasted a Statcast-projected 432-foot homer to left-center field and Walker Buehler and four relievers dodged several threats to lead the Padres to a 5-2 win over the Orioles on Sunday.

The Padres have won four of their last six to post back-to-back series victories, and they are now 10-3 in their last 13 games at Camden Yards.

"We had a tough stretch there against the Phillies and then we've kind of been like every other one here for a little while,” manager Craig Stammen said. “It's just about us winning series. We won the Reds series. That got us going a little bit. And then to finish this one off with two good wins is a big deal."

Dúran replaced starting catcher Freddy Fermin in the bottom of the sixth Saturday and proceeded to belt a solo homer. Then on Sunday, he went 2-for-4 with a double, his third homer of the season, two runs scored and three RBIs.

"Staying ready, that's the biggest key,” Dúran said. “This is the Major Leagues. You have to always be ready, and ready to perform. I need to be ready [every] time.”

Stammen knew it was a big ask for his backup catcher after Fermin was placed on the 7-day IL with a concussion. But Dúran was more than up to the task catching Buehler and the bullpen and coming up huge with his bat.

"We feel really good about all of our catchers,” Stammen said. “Dúran has been a guy that’s not surprised us but has been a little bit of a revelation since last year of what he could do offensively. We knew he was great defensively, and he continues to show that. … We are so thrilled that he is having success in his first time in the big leagues."

In the second inning, Dúran’s grounder to second base hit the bag and caromed into right-center field to score a run. In the seventh, the backstop smacked a two-run shot with an exit velocity of 106.3 mph to put San Diego up 4-1.

The 31-year-old Buehler had one of his best career outings here on Sept. 10, 2019, when he pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out 11 to help the Dodgers clinch their seventh straight NL West title.

On Sunday, he again felt comfortable at Oriole Park by striking out five over five innings of one-run ball.

Another key to the win was three perfectly timed mound visits by pitching coach Ruben Niebla.

Mound visit No. 1: Padres up 2-0, bottom third, tying runs on base
With a pair of runners in scoring position and a 2-0 lead, Buehler managed to get Orioles slugger Pete Alonso to ground out to third to end the inning. Alonso swung and missed at a cutter, took a ball and then swung at an inside 94.9 mph fastball.

"Obviously, Pete has had a long and scary career against me, so for them to leave me there and trust me there was a step forward,” Buehler said. “[For me] to come through in that spot there at the end feels good."

Mound visit No. 2: Padres up 2-1, bottom fifth, tying run on base
Following a Jeremiah Jackson solo shot to get the Orioles on the board, Buehler faced Adley Rutschman with a man on and two outs.

Buehler managed to retire Rutschman on a called third strike thanks to a nasty 89.7 mph cutter. The strikeout was his fifth of the game and helped him avoid facing Alonso, who has four career homers against Buehler.

"I think that cutter has become more and more my signature pitch,” Buehler said. “[I] made a good [pitch in] a big spot for me and the offense took care of the rest.”

Mound visit No. 3: Padres up 2-1, bottom sixth, tying run on third, go-ahead run on second
With two men in scoring position and one out, reliever Bradgley Rodriguez struck out Colton Cowser on three mesmerizing changeups.

"Just trusting my pitches, primarily the changeup,” Rodriguez said via interpreter Pedro Gutierrez. “It was a left-handed hitter, so [I was] just trying to strike him out there. I tried to avoid any contact to prevent the run from third base from scoring."

Pinch-hitter Jackson Holliday then took a changeup for a strike and swung through one before whiffing on a powerful 99.6 mph sinker to halt another golden opportunity for the Orioles to take the lead.

Stammen said mound visits in high-leverage situations can make or break a game.

"[It was again a] hot day, humid,” Stammen said. “So, part of that is giving these guys a little bit of a breather, and the other part is telling them, 'You guys got this,' and give them a good plan of going to attack hitters. Ruben is very good at that. That's why he's a great pitching coach. We trust him to go out there and deliver the right message, and the pitchers know him really well. They have such a great relationship that they're able to respond and make pitches."