Gavin Sheets’ three-run seventh-inning homer brought the San Diego Padres from behind to defeat the Cincinnati Reds, 6-4, before 31,380 at Great American Ball Park.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Padres (45-37) | 6 | 12 | 0 |
| Cincinnati Reds (43-40) |
4 | 10 | 0 |
| W: Hoeing (1-0) L: Richardson (0-2) Sv: Suarez (23) |
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| Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread | |||
Sheets also had two doubles and a run-saving catch as part of his big day. The loss dropped the Reds to 14-10 during June play. They are now 5 1/2 games behind first-place Chicago, which plays later at Houston; four games behind second-place Milwaukee; and 2 1/2 behind third-place St. Louis.
The Offense
The composite line for Reds hitters: 10-for-35 (.286), four walks (two each by TJ Friedl and Elly De La Cruz), and seven strikeouts.
The good guys got off to a good start in the first inning, despite a TOOTBLAN by Friedl. After drawing a leadoff walk, he was picked off first base by Padres starter Randy Vasquez. But Matt McLain followed with a single. An out later, Spencer Steer poked a hit to left, and Gavin Lux then scored McLain with an opposite-field single to left for a 1-0 Reds lead. Scoring first, and in the first, has been a positive trend for the Reds so far this season.
The fun continued in the second, when Rece Hinds led off with an opposite-field single to right. An out later, Santiago Espinal singled, moving Hinds to third. Friedl then scored Hinds with a single to right. McLain blooped one to center, which Padre center fielder Jackson Merrill missed on a diving attempt, scoring Espinal for a 3-0 Reds lead.
In the fifth, De La Cruz drew a leadoff walk. Steer then popped up to third, where Padres third baseman Manny Machado made a smart play. He allowed the ball to drop, and with De La Cruz staying close to first (as he absolutely should have), he was an easy force-out at second on Machado’s throw. Essentially, Machado opted to trade De La Cruz for Steer as the Reds’ runner at first. Lux then poked one to left-center which went for a double, advancing Steer to third.
Padres Manager Mike Shildt then relieved Vasquez in favor of righthander Bryan Hoeing, whose first pitch to Tyler Stephenson resulted in a sacrifice fly to deep right to score Steer. The final fifth-inning out came on a fine diving catch by left fielder Gavin Sheets of a Hinds looping liner, stealing a hit from Hinds and a run from Cincinnati.
Trailing by two in the ninth inning and facing Padres closer Robert Suarez, Friedl worked a one-out walk. McLain hit one hard to right that Fernando Tatis, Jr., caught in front of the warning track for out number two. De La Cruz then walked, putting the tying run on base. But Steer struck out swinging on a 100-mph fastball to end it.
Friedl, McLain and Lux had two hits each to lead the offense. Friedl was on base four times in five plate appearances with two walks drawn.
The Pitching
Cincinnati pitchers’ composite box score line: 9 innings, 12 hits, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts … and three home runs allowed.
Starter Andrew Abbott had a pretty smooth first three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth. Xander Bogaerts singled, Sheets doubled to right on a ball that Hinds misjudged, and Jose Iglesias drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Jake Cronenworth lined to left fielder Will Benson, whose positioning and accurate throw home held Bogaerts at third. Martin Maldonado was then retired on a grounder that McLain dove to stop and then record the out at first. Despite 28 pitches thrown, Abbott kept the Padres off the board.
Luis Arraez led off the fifth inning with a solo homer to right, pulling San Diego within 3-1. With one out, Merrill lined a hit to left, and Tatis followed with an infield single to short. On his 98th pitch, Abbott struck out Bogaerts swinging for the second out. Sheets then tapped a grounder to first for the final out, ending Abbott’s second consecutive inning of 25 pitches or more.
For the game, Abbott allowed just one run on the homer — one of the seven hits he surrendered — to go with two walks and four strikeouts during his 102 pitches total. During the Reds’ successful June, Abbott has been the team’s top starting pitcher.
Scott Barlow entered in the sixth. He was greeted by an Iglesias single and a Cronenworth two-run blast to bring the visitors back within 4-3. Barlow then retired the side without further damage.
Lyon Richardson came on to pitch in the seventh, allowing a double to Merrill on his first pitch. Tatis hit a fly to deep right which allowed Merrill to move to third. Bogaerts then walked, putting runners on first and third, followed by Sheets launching a no-doubter to right, putting the Padres up for the first time, 6-4. An out later, Manager Terry Francona called upon Brent Suter to face the lefthanded batting Cronenworth. That move worked, with Cronenworth grounding out to end the inning.
Suter then pitched a scoreless eighth, followed by Ian Gibaut duplicating that feat in the ninth.
One Fan’s Thoughts
Jake Fraley’s shoulder injury, described as both a sprain and a partial tear of the labrum (depending on the source), could mean a long look in right field for Hinds. If it is truly a tear, it will almost certainly require surgery, and will almost certainly disable Fraley for the remainder of the year. Hinds may have a chance to show in the coming days and weeks if he truly belongs at the major league level. In my view, he currently is in the CES bracket — swinging at a lot of pitches out of the zone, making it easy for pitchers to get him out. To his credit, Hinds today went 1-for-4 with a strikeout, and the two other outs were on well-hit balls. But his misjudging Sheets’ hard-hit ball that became a double instead of an out was not a good look.
* * *
During June, the Reds have won five series and lost two (of series in which all games were played during the month). Tomorrow, a win will mean a series win over San Diego and a 6-2 series record for the month, which I frankly did not expect with the difficulty of the June schedule. A win Sunday will be another statement that the Reds can play with good teams and hold their own. Currently there are six teams within 2 1/2 games of National League Wild Card playoff berths, and the truth is that there is not all that much difference among those teams — as their records would suggest. This team must avoid losing streaks, because they haven’t show the capability to put together a long winning streak.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
San Diego Padres at Cincinnati Reds
Sunday, June 29, 1:40 p.m. ET
Stephen Kolek (3-3, 3.95 ERA) vs. Nick Lodolo (5-5, 3.63 ERA)
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