MLB

Happy Padres Day! Friars Finish 4-Game Sweep of Cincinnati

San Diego wins in front of 38,004 at Petco Park

SAN DIEGO, CA – JUNE 20: Wil Myers #5 of the San Diego Padres is congratulated by Manny Machado #13  after scoring during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park on June 20, 2021 in San Diego, California.  (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)

The Reds came to San Diego as one of the hottest teams in baseball, winners of six straight games. The Padres came home from a road trip on the struggle bus after a 1-5 stretch punctuated by and a sweep at the hands of the miserable Colorado Rockies.

But there's something about playing in front of a full house at Petco Park.

The Padres completed a 4-game sweep of Cincinnati with a 3-2 win on Father's Day. It was the fourth straight game with at least 37,000 fans in attendance. It's not a coincidence the Padres haven't lost since the Friar Faithful have been around en masse.

Dinelson Lamet made his longest outing since the end of 2020 and looked like the guy who finished 4th in the National League Cy Young balloting. Lamet tossed 5.0 shutout innings with seven strikeouts. It was the first time he's made it through five innings this year and his 81 pitches were the most he's thrown yet.

All of San Diego's runs came on one swing of the bat in the 3rd inning. With two runners on Wil Myers hammered a line drive off the right field wall. Manny Machado and Eric Hosmer scored and Myers was digging for 3rd when the throw bounced down the left field line for your classic "Little League homer" and a 3-0 San Diego lead.

The bullpen made it stick until the 8th. Emilio Pagan had a rough outing, allowing two runs and it could have been worse if not for a fantastic defensive play by Machado. With runners at 2nd and 3rd Eugenio Suarez hit a grounder that looked like it was ticketed for left field. Machado somehow got his glove on it, spun in the hole and threw a strike to Hosmer for the 2nd out.

One run scored to make it 3-2 but if that ball had gotten through it likely would have tied the game. In the 9th Mark Melancon shut the door, the final out coming on a Jesse Winker pop-up to shallow center that was run down on a nice play by Ha-Seong Kim.

On Monday, things ramp up even a little more. The Dodgers come to town for a 3-game set. Yu Darvish gets the start against Julio Urias and it looks like the Friars will have their starting shortstop back.

Fernando Tatis Jr. left Saturday's game after re-aggravating his left shoulder injury. He did not play on Sunday but was available to pinch-hit. Padres manager Jayce Tingler expects Tatis to be on the field against Los Angeles.

LISTEN: With NBC 7 San Diego's Darnay Tripp and Derek Togerson behind the mic, On Friar will cover all things San Diego Padres. Interviews, analysis, behind-the-scenes...the ups, downs, and everything in between. Tap here to find On Friar wherever you listen to podcasts. 

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