Eric Hosmer hit his first homer of the season and Jake Cronenworth added a bases-loaded triple during an eight-run fourth inning that sent the San Diego Padres past the struggling Cincinnati Reds 9-6 Tuesday night.
“It's a great start to the road trip,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said. “Hosmer's (homer) was the big blow in that inning, but the at-bats seemed to get better as we strung them along and we just passed the baton to the next guy.”
The Padres have won 10 of 11 against Cincinnati since the start of last season.
The Reds who snapped an 11-game losing streak on Sunday, own baseball's worst record at 3-14.
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Joe Musgrove (3-0), who has worked at least six innings in each of his four starts, allowed two earned runs through six innings despite not having his best stuff.
“He gave up two earned runs, gives you six innings, only walked one. If that's a bad game for him, we're going to take it,” Melvin said.
Musgrove beat the Reds for the second time this season despite battling back spasms. He came in for treatment during the eight-run fourth.
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“I had some stiffness in my back,” Musgrove said. “It wasn't anything that's going to stick with me.”
The Reds got a break in the second when catcher Austin Nola's throw back to Musgrove hit Colin Moran's bat, allowing Nick Senzel to advance a base to second. Nola was charged with one of his two errors in the game, and Senzel scored on Moran's single.
In the fourth, Reds starter Reiver Sanmartin (0-3) gave up seven straight hits, including Hosmer's three-run homer. Sanmartin also issued a bases-loaded walk.
Later in the inning, Cronenworth's three-run triple off Jeff Hoffman made it 9-1.
“It's one of those things where hitting's contagious,” Hosmer said. “The guys in front of us did a great job of getting us going. First time through, their guy was throwing the ball really well. We made some good adjustments.”
In two straight starts against the Padres, Sanmartin (0-3) have been tagged for a combined 14 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings.
Reds second baseman Jonathan India, who came off the 10-day injured list following a strained right hamstring, doubled and scored in the fifth.
Senzel hit a solo homer in the ninth.
“We got down 9-1 and we just continued to play," Reds manager David Bell said. "We lost the game which is kind of the point, but coming back like that over the long season, those things really do matter.”
NICE PLAY, POP!
The play of the game was made by Reds fan Jacob Kingsley, who was seated in section 119 behind the visitors’ dugout with his wife, Jordan. Jacob caught Luis Campusano’s foul ball on the bounce in the fifth inning with his right hand while bottle-feeding his 11-month old son, Shepherd, with his left.
“Safety first, obviously," Jacob Kinglsey told Bally Sports. "I saw the ball pop up. Had some fierce competition. Wanted to protect him, baby first. It’s his first Reds game, we have the certificate. This will be a great memory for him.”
Said his wife: “It was like the coolest thing ever.”
GETTING WELL
Cincinnati has 10 players on the injured list, but things are looking up with India and outfielder Tyler Naquin back in the lineup. “We’re really excited to get guys back,” Bell said. “It’s going to continue to happen over the next month, adding to our team some really significant players.” The Reds still are without infielder Mike Moustakas, catcher Tyler Stephenson and starting pitchers Luis Castillo and Mike Minor.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: OF Wil Myers left Tuesday's game after aggravating a bruise between his right thumb and index finger during his at-bat in the fifth. He will not play on Wednesday, according to Melvin. RHP Mike Clevinger (right knee sprain) will make a rehab start for Triple-A El Paso on Wednesday after travel issues pushed the outing back a day.
Reds: RHP Luis Castillo (right shoulder strain) is expected to make two more rehab starts at Triple-A Louisville before rejoining the club.
UP NEXT
Reds RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (0-3, 5.54) is looking for his first win of the season in his fourth start. The Reds were outscored 11-2 in his first three outings. He'll be opposed by Padres LHP MacKenzie Gore (1-0, 1.74), who has struck out 10 in 10 1/3 innings.
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