Aaron Cunningham’s Slam, Mat Latos’ Arm Power Padres Past Blue Jays

San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Aaron Cunningham's third at-bat of the season came with the bases loaded. Moments later he cleared them. Cunningham's grand slam, his first hit with the Padres, led San Diego past Toronto, 8-2, in interleague action at Petco Park.

Cunningham finished 2-for-3 and scored twice, Nick Hundley went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Jerry Hairston, Jr. added two hits and two runs scored for the Padres, who snapped a two-game skid.

Mat Latos (7-4) was the winner, giving up two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and one walk over 6 2/3 frames.

Brett Cecil (7-3) took the loss after yielding five runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and a pair of walks over six innings. Alex Gonzalez was 2-for-4 with an RBI in the loss, Toronto's fourth in five games.

The Padres did nearly all of their damage in the home second as Hundley doubled with one out, Chris Denorfia walked and Hairston doubled in front of Cunningham's grand slam.

Scott Hairston doubled with one out in the third and eventually scored on Denorfia's sacrifice fly to left.

Toronto got on the scoreboard with a two-spot in the top of the fourth. The two-out rally started with Adam Lind's double - Toronto's only extra-base hit of the game. Lind moved to third on a passed ball, Vernon Wells was plunked by a pitch and Gonzalez singled to center, scoring Lind for a 5-1 game. Lyle Overbay continued the hit parade with a run-scoring base hit to left.

Three of Toronto's five hits came in the fourth frame.

The Blue Jays put two runners on in the seventh before pinch-hitter Fred Lewis struck out swinging to end the threat.

Jerry Hairston, Jr. knocked in Hundley with a base hit to right in the eighth. The Padres added two more runs with two outs on David Eckstein's bases-loaded bloop single to right.

Cunningham's last regular-season hit was a single for the Chicago White Sox versus Oakland last August 23rd...This series marks the first contests between these two teams since Toronto won 2-of-3 from the Padres in 2004...Toronto dropped to 2-6 in interleague play...Cecil had won his last five starts...Latos won for the sixth time in the last seven decisions.