Tatis Jr., Padres Outlast Reds for 10-inning Victory

Tatis Jr., Padres Outlast Reds for 10-inning Victory
Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres connects for an RBI double in the 10th inning against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati on May 23, 2024. (Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)
The Associated Press
5/23/2024
Updated:
5/23/2024
0:00

CINCINNATI—Fernando Tatis Jr. doubled home the tiebreaking run in the 10th inning as the San Diego Padres beat the reeling Cincinnati Reds 6–4 on Thursday to secure a series victory.

Luis Arraez, who had 10 hits in the three-game set, opened the 10th with a bunt single that sent automatic runner Luis Campasano from second base to third. Tatis ripped a double down the left-field line off Sam Moll (0–1) to drive in Campusano, and Arraez scored on Jake Cronenworth’s sacrifice fly.

It was Tatis’ only hit in five at-bats.

“You have to stay with it. This game is hard,“ he said. ”I got results, but it’s one at-bat. The result of the last at-bat, you forget about it and go again. We’re playing good baseball, and you don’t want to be the guy left behind.”

Cincinnati went quietly in the bottom half. Padres closer Robert Suarez struck out Elly De La Cruz, walked Jeimer Candelario, and got Mike Ford and Spencer Steer on flyouts to wrap up his 14th save.

Jeremiah Estrada (1–0) struck out five in two scoreless innings for his first major-league win.

Cincinnati’s Nick Martini snapped a 0-for-17 slump with a two-run homer in the sixth that tied the game 4–4.

San Diego scored twice in each of the first two innings. Manny Machado had a two-run double, and Arraez delivered an RBI single.

Arraez finished with four hits and David Peralta had three for the Padres. Arraez has reached base safely in 28 straight games.

Reds starter Frankie Montas allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings.

Padres starter Matt Waldron pitched five innings, allowing two runs and six hits, with seven strikeouts.

Cincinnati had two runners thrown out at the plate. Candelario was cut down trying to score on a double steal in the first inning, and De La Cruz was thrown out in the fifth when he raced home on a grounder to third.

The Reds haven’t won a series since sweeping a three-game set against the Los Angeles Angels from April 19–21. Since then, they’ve lost nine consecutive series, going 8–21.

“It’s adding up. It’s not a secret,“ catcher Luke Maile said. ”We’re playing well enough to win games, but we keep losing close ones. If there’s a positive, it’s definitely the fact that our offense has, to a degree, stepped up. We’re in these games. We’re not doing enough to win them.”

San Diego, on the other hand, has won six of its past seven series and is 17–10 on the road this season.

Trainer’s Room

Reds: Placed right-hander Emilio Pagán on the 15-day injured list with triceps soreness, and promoted right-hander Brett Kennedy from Triple-A Louisville, Ky.

Up Next

Padres: Open a weekend series against the visiting New York Yankees on Friday night. San Diego right-hander Yu Darvish (4–1, 2.08 earned-run average) is set to face New York lefty Carlos Rodón (5–2, 3.27).

Reds: Host the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night in the opener of a three-game set.  Cincinnati, which lost three of four at Los Angeles last weekend, is scheduled to send right-hander Hunter Greene (2–2, 3.22) to the mound against Dodgers righty Walker Buehler (1–1, 4.05).

By Mitch Stacy