Elly De La Cruz blasted a 443-foot home run into the bullpen, causing some Padres relievers to quickly move aside. Meanwhile, Nick Lodolo, along with two relievers, limited the Padres to just four hits while striking out 11 batters, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-2 victory on Monday night.
After the second inning until the ninth, the Reds retired 23 consecutive batters, nearly maintaining a one-hit game throughout the contest.
Lodolo, who improved to 3-0, managed to retire the last 18 batters he faced after issuing back-to-back walks in the second inning.
The Reds’ bullpen, consisting of Fernando Cruz and Alex Díaz, held strong until Jake Cronenworth’s double and Manny Machado’s subsequent single allowed the Padres to score a run in the ninth inning.
However, if Cronenworth hadn’t gotten a hit, it would have been the first time in Padres history that a leadoff homer was their only hit of the game.
Reflecting on his performance, Lodolo expressed satisfaction, especially after overcoming a challenging second inning. He emphasized the importance of finding his rhythm and credited his improved preparation leading up to each start.
The Padres’ loss marked their fifth consecutive defeat, their longest losing streak of the season. Their struggles began last Thursday when they squandered a 9-4 lead against the Colorado Rockies, losing 10-9. They were then swept by the Philadelphia Phillies over the weekend, who capitalized with nine home runs.
