Nick Pivetta gave the San Diego Padres exactly what they were looking for in the final game of the series against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park, Wednesday.
Pivetta pitched seven innings without allowing a run. He allowed one walk and struck out eight batters before leaving the game with a 1-0 lead.
Despite Pivetta’s efforts, the San Diego bullpen
could not hold the lead and the Padres lost to the Reds 2-1 and dropped the series as well.
San Diego scored its lone run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. lined a solo home run to left field to give the Padres the lead.
Cincinnati appeared to have tied the game with two outs in the top of the seventh inning against Pivetta, but Ramón Laureano went up over the left field wall and caught the ball to keep the Reds off the scoreboard and keep the Padres in the lead.
Pivetta left after his seven innings of work and Kyle Hart took over in the eighth. Hart recorded the first out, but TJ Friedl reached on a bunt to put a runner on base. Friedl advanced to second on a ground ball out and was in scoring position for Elly De La Cruz with two down.
De La Cruz faced Adrian Morejon, who came in for Hart. The Reds shortstop singled to right field and Friedl rounded third base and headed home. Tatis Jr. fielded the ball and made a strong throw to the plate, but Friedl slid in headfirst just before Elias Diaz could apply the tag and the game was tied, 1–1.
De La Cruz stole second and Morejon intentionally walked Austin Hays to put runners at first and second. Miguel Andujar pinch-hit for Cincinnati and delivered an RBI-single that dropped just in front of Laureano in left field and the Reds took a 2-1 lead.
The Padres were able to get out of the inning, but could not score in the bottom of the eighth. Morejon returned to the mound for the top of the ninth inning and surrendered back-to-back walks after getting a groundout to start the inning.
San Diego brought Yuki Matsui in to replace Morejon and he walked the first batter he faced to load the bases with one out. Matsui then recorded a strikeout and a groundout on a tapper back to the mound to escape the jam.
Gavin Sheets opened the bottom of the ninth with a double down the left field line. He was replaced at second by Jose Iglesias. Laureano then popped out for the first out of the ninth and Jackson Merrill hit a deep drive to center for the second out. Iglesias was able to tag and advance to third base with two outs.
Bryce Johnson came in to pinch-hit for Mason McCoy needing a hit to tie the game. Instead, he struck out on three pitches and the Reds won the game and the series.
San Diego welcomes Colorado to Petco Park for the first of four games against the NL West foe, Thursday at 6:40 p.m.
