Sweeping a team once in a season is hard to do. Doing it twice, two weeks apart, is a rare feat, indeed.
The Padres will take six out of seven. San Diego finally dropped one to the Reds in Cincinnati 5-4 on Thursday night, snapping their 6-game winning streak against Cincy, when the Reds staged a 9th inning comeback against a guy who's been one of the best closers in baseball in 2021.
Ryan Weathers got the start in place of the injured Dinelson Lamet, in the same city where his father David pitched the majority of his 19-year Major League career. Ryan battled a little bit of a control issue but overall wasn't too shabby. He walked four, struck out five, and allowed two runs in 4.0 innings.
It was after the 4th inning that the rain that's plagued all three games of the series stalled things again so Weathers' night was done. When play resumed the Friars started chipping away. Jurickson Profar ripped a double off the centerfield wall to score Manny Machado and cut the lead to 2-1.
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Aristides Aquino doubled in a run off Mason Thompson to make it a 3-1 game and in the 7th the rally started. Machado and Eric Hosmer both singled. After a Wil Myers strikeout Profar walked to load the bases and Padres skipper Jayce Tingler gambled.
He sent Tommy Pham in to pinch-hit for catcher Webster Rivas, meaning Victor Caratini was the last avaiable backstop. The move worked to perfection.
Pham, who has been red-hot at the plate for a month, lined a 2-run single to centerfield to tie the game 3-3. San Diego took the lead in the next inning thanks to some hustle and a gift.
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Machado stole 2nd base on a play where he was originally ruled out but replay overturned it (correctly). Hosmer hit a chopper to 3rd baseman Alejo Lopez, who had all kinds of time to throw and spiked it. The ball skipped past Joey Votto at first base, allowing Machado to score.
Mark Melancon has looked for most of the season like he should be joining Fernando Tatis Jr. on the National League All-Star roster. Thursday night was an anomaly but it still hurts. Melancon gave up a solo home run to Kyle Farmer to tie it 4-4. After a walk he got Jonathan India to hit a line drive to left field.
Profar dropped it.
The converted infielder was running to his left when the ball hit him right in the chest but he slipped as he tried to make the catch and couldn't hold on. That put runners and 2nd and 3rd with one out. After a groundout and an intentional walk, Melancon took the loss when Tyler Stephenson singled the other way to give Cincy a 5-4 win.
The Padres head to Philadelphia for a 3-game weekend set starting on Friday, because where else would you want to be on Independence Day weekend?
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