Luis Arraez had a great night, going 4 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs as the San Diego Padres defeated the Cincinnati Reds 7-3 on Wednesday.
He kicked off the game with his first homer of the season against Nick Martinez (1-3). It was his first home run since Sept. 16, 2023, when he also hit a leadoff homer against Atlanta.
“It all starts with Arraez,” Padres manager Mike Shildt commented. “He’s like a magician with that bat in his hands. It’s really something special.”
After being shut out in back-to-back games, including the second game of Monday’s doubleheader in Atlanta, Shildt allowed the players to arrive later at the ballpark on Wednesday.
“We love the combination of rest and hits,” Shildt said. “We planned it. With a doubleheader and travel, we decided to be smart today, especially with a day game tomorrow. Save the energy for when it really counts.”
Arraez, who has hit 25 home runs in 585 games, has recorded seven leadoff homers in his career. His role in the lineup is even more important for the Padres, especially with Xander Bogaerts sidelined due to a fractured left shoulder.
“Having Arraez at the top of the lineup makes a big difference,” Padres third baseman Manny Machado remarked. “It’s been impressive having him on our team. He’s a solid hitter.”
Jeimer Candelario’s fifth home run of the season tied the game 1-1 in the first inning. That was the Reds’ only hit until Candelario singled with two outs in the sixth.
San Diego scored four runs on five hits in the fifth inning, including an RBI double by Jurickson Profar, extending their lead to 5-1.
“I like how we strung together some really good at-bats the second time through,” Shildt said. “It was a well-played game in all aspects. Contributions came from throughout the lineup. Just a lot of fun.”
