CINCINNATI — Another close game with the San Diego Padres and, unfortunately, another close loss.
The Cincinnati Reds lost their fifth straight game to the Padres as they lost 5-4 to the Padres on Monday. The Reds lost a four-game series June 17-20.
The Padres jumped in front with a pair of runs in the first inning off Reds’ starter Tony Santillan.
Tommy Pham lined a single to center leading off the game but Fernando Tatis Jr. hit into a force play.
Jake Cronenworth then tripled to right and he scored on Manny Machado’s sacrifice fly.
The Reds came right back in the bottom of the inning.
Jonathan India drilled a single that ricocheted off pitcher’s Craig Stammen’s foot and rolled out of bounds near third base.
Jesse Winker walked but hot-hitting Nick Castellanos hit into a double play sending India to third. Tyler Stephenson lined a base hit to center and it was 2-1.
San Diego got another run in the second.
Eric Hosmer drew a leadoff walk, Wil Myers singled and Santillan elected to attempt to get Hosmer at third base on Stammen’s sacrifice bunt attempt but committed a throwing error that loaded the bases. Pham hit a sacrifice fly to score Hosmer.
Pham hit a solo home run against Reds’ reliever Ryan Hendrix leading off the fourth inning and it was 4-1.
Cronenworth was hit by a pitch and Machado and Trent Grisham had singles to open up a 5-1 lead.
Cincinnati cut the deficit to 5-2 in the bottom of the inning on singles by Joey Votto, Kyle Farmer and Shogo Akiyama.
Winker blasted a 1-0 pitch for a home run after India was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fifth that got the Reds within 5-4.
Eight Reds pitchers combined to strand 16 San Diego baserunners as the Padres failed to get a clutch hit time and time again.