The San Diego Padres had another big inning. But this time the pitching made the four-run fourth inning stand up and the Padres beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-0 to open their three-game series at Great American Ball Park on Monday.
San Diego was able to get to Cincinnati pitcher Brady Singer in the top of the fourth inning with six consecutive hits, which resulted in four runs. The only troubling part for the Padres was how the inning ended. Another failed bunt attempt that resulted in a pop out to the catcher
was the first out of the inning and the inning ended one batter later with a ground ball double play.
The Padres opened the top of the fourth with a singles from Manny Machado and Ty France. With runners on the corners, Jackson Merrill brought home the first run of the game with s single through the right side of the infield. Xander Bogaerts followed with a two-run double and San Diego had a 3-0 lead with a runner in scoring position and still no outs. Dustin Harris brought Bogaerts in with another single and the Padres had a 4-0 advantage. Luis Campusano added the the fifth single of the inning to put runners at first and second. The momentum of the inning seemed to come crashing down when Sung-Mun Song popped a bunt into the air at home plate, which was caught for the first out of the inning. Singer was able to get out of the inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. grounded into and inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.
Michael King who had found himself in trouble in the first three innings stranding two runners on base in each frame, locked in with the lead. He worked a scoreless bottom of the fourth, facing just three batters and did the same in the fifth. King returned to the mound in the bottom of the sixth. He found himself in trouble once again and after a hit-by-pitch to put two on with two outs, Padres manager Craig Stammen came out to the mound. King convinced the first-year manager to leave him in the game and he rewarded him for his faith with a first-pitch line drive out to end the frame.
San Diego tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning after Tatis led off with a double to center field. Machado hit a one-out fly ball to right field, which allowed Tatis to tag up and advance to third. France delivered an RBI-single to give the Padres a 5-0 lead and was followed by Merrill with a single to put two runners on before Bogaerts filed out to end the inning.
King finished with six scoreless innings with just four hits allowed. He also walked three batters and hit two more, but he also recorded six strikeouts. Kyle Hart pitched two scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth innings and Wandy Peralta handled a scoreless ninth to help San Diego snap its three-game losing streak.
The Padres will try to make it two in a row and win the series with he Reds today at 3:40 p.m.
Padres News:
- According to multiple reports, the Padres are calling up top prospect Ethan Salas to make his MLB debut.
- San Diego announced on Monday that Luis Rengifo has a full tear of his ACL and will miss the remainder of the season.
Baseball News:
- The Chicago Cubs had a historic night and hit nine home runs in a win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
- The Philadelphia Phillies held on for a 2-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
- The Boston Red Sox got a walk-off win over the Seattle Mariners.
- Jacob deGrom allowed one hit over seven innings to lead the Texas Rangers over the Athletics.
