CINCINNATI—Andrew Abbott threw seven shutout innings, Elly De La Cruz doubled home a run, and the Cincinnati Reds shook off a disastrous road trip to beat the San Diego Padres 2–0 on Tuesday night.
The Reds went 3–7 on their swing out West, losing series in San Francisco, Arizona, and Los Angeles. Back home, they did just enough offensively to win one behind another terrific outing from Abbott (3–4).
The 24-year-old left-hander allowed four hits, striking out two and walking one. He allowed just one runner past first base. Fernando Cruz pitched a scoreless eighth. Alexis Díaz walked Jurickson Profar to start the ninth but struck out Manny Machado and got Jake Cronenworth to hit into a double play to pick up his eighth save.
“Defense played excellent today,” Abbott said. “They took some good swings. We had guys in the right spots. All that culminates in a good outing. You have to have a little bit of luck on your side.”
Abbott gave up just a run and four hits in seven innings in his previous start, Wednesday at Arizona, but the Reds lost 2–1.
“He has a good arsenal,” Padres Manager Mike Schildt said. “I saw him when he first came up. You could see the ability for sure, and now he continues to hone his craft. He threw the ball really well, changed speeds. He kept us off balance.”
Padres starter Joe Musgrove (3–4), reinstated from the injured list before the game, went three innings, allowing two unearned runs and three hits. He struck out three and walked two in his first action since May 5 after being shut down with an inflamed elbow.
Musgrove loaded the bases with one out in the first inning but escaped by striking out Tyler Stephenson and getting Mike Ford on a ground ball.
The Reds got their runs in the second inning. Jonathan India tagged up on a flyout and scored when catcher Luis Campusano dropped the throw home and was charged with an error.
De La Cruz followed with a run-scoring double, the only extra-base hit for the Reds, who won despite going hitless the rest of the game.
Reds Manager David Bell kicked and threw around a chair in the dugout after right fielder Jake Fraley was hit on the hand by a pitch in the first inning. The normally low-key Mr. Bell insisted the demonstration wasn’t directed at anyone in particular, just that he was frustrated that other Reds players have also been injured lately by pitches in on the hands.
“Enough’s enough,” he said. “There’s not a whole lot I can do.”
