BALTIMORE (Interstat) — Samad Taylor homered, doubled and drove in three runs, and the San Diego Padres exploded for four runs in the first inning Saturday afternoon, cruising to a 9-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Taylor went 3 for 5, including a two-run home run in the first and an RBI single in the fifth, as San Diego improved to 36-33. Baltimore fell to 34-38 before a crowd of 25,722 on a balmy evening.

The Padres seized control immediately against Orioles starter Trey Gibson. Fernando Tatis Jr. walked to lead off the game, and Jackson Merrill followed with a two-run homer to left-center field, his seventh of the season. After Manny Machado grounded out and Xander Bogaerts walked, Gavin Sheets popped out. Taylor then crushed a 1-0 pitch over the center-field wall for his first home run of the year, scoring Bogaerts and making it 4-0. Will Wagner singled, but Jase Bowen struck out to end the inning.

Baltimore answered in the bottom of the first against Padres starter Randy Vásquez. Taylor Ward flied out, and Gunnar Henderson struck out before Pete Alonso blasted his 16th home run of the season to right-center field. Samuel Basallo walked, and Leody Taveras tripled to right field, scoring Basallo to cut the lead to 4-2. Colton Cowser flied out to end the threat.

Vásquez settled down after that, working five innings and allowing two earned runs on six hits while striking out five. He earned his sixth win against four losses.

San Diego added two runs in the fifth. With one out, Gibson hit Bogaerts with a pitch after a force play that was upheld on a Padres challenge. Gavin Sheets walked to load the bases, and Taylor delivered an RBI single to right field that scored Machado. Nick Solak followed with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Bogaerts to make it 6-2.

The Padres padded their lead in the seventh when Sheets led off with his 11th home run of the season off reliever Albert Suárez, a solo shot to right field. Baltimore got one back in the bottom of the seventh against Padres reliever Bradgley Rodriguez. Henderson walked, and Alonso doubled to left, scoring Henderson to make it 7-3. Sam Basallo grounded out to end the inning.

San Diego tacked on a solo home run by Rodolfo Durán in the eighth, his second of the year, and Machado led off the ninth with his 12th homer of the season off Orioles reliever Kaleb Ort to cap the scoring at 9-3.

The Orioles managed 10 hits, matching the Padres’ total, but left seven men on base and grounded into two double plays. Alonso led Baltimore with three hits, including the home run and a double, and drove in two runs. Taveras tripled and scored.

Gibson took the loss, allowing six runs on five hits over 4 2/3 innings, with three walks and four strikeouts. He fell to 1-2.

The Padres’ bullpen closed the door after Vásquez departed. Yuki Matsui struck out two in a scoreless sixth, Jason Adam worked a perfect eighth, and Ron Marinaccio allowed one hit in the ninth, while Adrian Morejon recorded one out in the seventh.

San Diego’s victory avenged a 7-3 loss to Baltimore on Friday afternoon at Camden Yards and gave the Padres a split in the first two games of the three-game series. The teams conclude the set Sunday afternoon.

Taylor’s performance continued a productive stretch at the plate. In the previous four games, he had collected hits in each, including two hits and three RBIs on June 8 against Cincinnati.

The game’s pivotal moment came in the first inning, when San Diego’s quick-strike offense put four runs on the board before the Orioles could even take a swing. Taylor’s two-run homer capped the rally and set the tone for a afternoon in which the Padres never trailed.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Baltimore 5, San Diego 3, while Interstat’s ELO system gave the Padres a 50.90 percent probability to win. Baltimore was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 12 went under the over/under line of 10.