The Cincinnati Reds began their penultimate homestand of the 2026 season in familiar fashion. The bats that had suddenly exploded for 32 runs over the final four games (3-1) of the recent road trip were silenced on a night of missed opportunities in a 5-0 loss to the San Diego Padres Aug. 31.
The Reds were held to just four hits and stranded 10 on the basepaths in their fifth shutout loss of the month in front of 16,162 fans at Great American Ball Park.
The Reds end August with a 13-16 overall record (after going 13-12 in July).
Facing red-hot San Diego right-hander Michael King, who entered with a 2.64 ERA over five August outings, the Reds put two in scoring position with only one out in the first inning. JJ Bleday grounded out and Tyler Stephenson
went down swinging to end the threat.
One inning later, the Reds put runners on the corners with just one out before Edwin Arroyo and Hector Rodriguez struck out.
It didn't help matters that San Diego centerfielder Jackson Merrill raced to the wall to rob Elly De La Cruz of extra bases in the first inning. Merrill then took away a homer from Sal Stewart in the third. The Reds followed that highlight-reel grab with back-to-back walks, but Eugenio Suarez grounded out. It was one of four times on the night where the Reds stranded a pair.
Meanwhile, Brady Singer looked to be in cruise control until the second time through the San Diego order. The Padres recorded six consecutive hits off Singer, who finished the night falling to 5-13 overall with his shortest outing (4 ⅓ innings) since July 29. The Padres out-hit the Reds, 15-5, with Manny Machado finishing 4-for-5.
The Reds will send left-hander Nick Lodolo (3-3, 5.24 ERA) to the mound in the second game of the series Sept. 1 while Randy Vasquez (10-6, 4.02 ERA) goes for San Diego.
The Enquirer will update this story.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds end August with shutout loss to San Diego Padres
