Hosmer HR in 9th lifts Padres over Reds to cap soggy series
CINCINNATI (AP) — The San Diego Padres didn't exactly enjoy their soggy stay in Cincinnati. Eric Hosmer got a nice parting gift from the Reds' cozy riverside ballpark, though.
Hosmer led off the ninth inning with a home run to lift the Padres over the Reds 7-6 on Sunday night after a lengthy rain delay in the middle of the eighth inning.
Hosmer took Raisel Iglesias (2-4) deep for his third homer in three days — the first time he's strung three together in his career. It ended a rain-soaked four-game series that featured 5 hours, 22 minutes of delays.
"It was great to get it quickly," San Diego manager Andy Green said. "It couldn't have happened any quicker. He's swinging the bat well. It was a big series for him."
Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman considered Iglesias a victim of his home park.
"We don't make too many excuses for the home runs," Rigggleman said. "We give up a lot of homers, but that was a Great American Ball Park homer. Hosmer's a good hitter, but this might be the only ballpark it goes out of."
Austin Hedges and Luis Urias each hit a two-run homer to help San Diego overcome a three-run blast from Joey Votto and salvage a split.
Rain caused a delay of 1 hour, 32 minutes in the eighth, even after Sunday's first pitch was pushed back three hours from the scheduled 1:10 p.m. start time in hopes of avoiding bad weather. Saturday's game started an hour earlier than scheduled and was cancelled after 6 ½ innings, resulting in the Reds' rain-shortened 7-2 win.
"It seemed like it was a week long, and we were in this clubhouse the entire time," Hosmer said of the lengthy series. "We were happy to get out of a day like this with a win. Basically, we just wanted to get the heck out of here. That's what everybody was thinking."
Craig Stammen (7-2) pitched the eighth and Kirby Yates the ninth for his seventh save.
After going 36 games without a home run, Votto tied the score with his second in two games, an opposite-field, three-run shot to left-center field that capped Cincinnati's five-run fifth inning and tied it 6-6.
Rookie Tyler Mahle, making his first start since being recalled from Triple-A Louisville and taking Homer Bailey's rotation slot, lasted only three trouble-filled innings. The Padres placed at least two runners on base in each inning and cashed in with Hedges' 12th homer of the season in the third. Mahle, in his first Reds start since August 6, allowed five hits and two runs with three walks and five strikeouts.
The Reds were hitless through the first three innings before collecting seven hits and scoring six runs in the next two against San Diego starter Jacob Nix. The rookie right-hander walked two batters and struck out a career-high five in five innings.
STREAK'S ALIVE
San Diego has won six consecutive season series against Cincinnati since the Reds went 6-2 against the Padres in 2012. The Padres won four out of seven this season.
CAREER HIGH
Hedges's homer extended his hitting streak to a career-high eight games. The catcher had a seven-game streak from Aug. 4-12.
SNAPPED SLUMPS
The Reds' Billy Hamilton snapped a 0-for-15 slump with a fifth-inning bloop single that started their five-run rally. His sixth-inning stolen base was his first since he had two on August 11 against Arizona.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: Rookie RHP Brett Kennedy won't make his next scheduled start while dealing with swelling in his left knee that developed after trying to bunt Friday against Cincinnati.
Reds: LHP Amir Garrett is ready to be activated from the disabled list. Garrett has been out since Aug. 29 with a bruised left foot.
UP NEXT
Padres: RHP Bryan Mitchell (1-3), coming off his first San Diego win, makes his first career appearance against Seattle with a start Tuesday. He allowed two hits and one run in five innings Tuesday at Arizona.
Reds: LHP Cody Reed (0-2) is scheduled to make his first career against the Dodgers in Monday's three-game series opener. Reed allowed a career-high nine hits in five innings of his last start on Tuesday in Pittsburgh.