Padres end Reds’ 10-game win streak
CINCINNATI — Will Venable drove in four runs with a single and a bases-loaded triple Monday night, and the San Diego Padres emphatically ended one of the longest winning streaks in Reds history with an 11-5 victory that brought out the worst in Cincinnati.
Former Reds played starring roles in stopping their 10-game streak. Edinson Volquez (7-7) got the win, and Yonder Alonso tied a Padres record with three doubles.
The Reds were trying to extend only the eighth double-digit winning streak in franchise history. The 1939 and 1957 clubs share the franchise record with 12 straight wins.
Not even close.
Mike Leake (4-7) retired only five batters in the shortest start of his career. The Reds walked a season-high 11 batters in all, and rookie catcher Devin Mesoraco was ejected for arguing balls and strikes. He poked at plate umpire Chad Fairchild’s chest protector and bumped him before leaving.
Carlos Quentin homered and drove in three runs for the Padres, who matched their season high for runs. The 11 runs equaled the most allowed by Cincinnati this season.
The NL Central leaders had a lot of things go their way during the 10-game streak, which matched the New York Yankees for longest in the majors this season. After a fast start Monday, everything came apart.
The Reds lost for only the third time in their last 20 games. They’ve gone 11-3 since first baseman Joey Votto learned he needed surgery on his left knee, sidelining him for about a month.
The package of players they traded away last December helped end the streak.
Cincinnati sent four players to the Padres for starter Mat Latos, a move that solidified the rotation. All four got into the game — Volquez went five innings, Alonso started at first, Yasmani Grandal was behind the plate and Brad Boxberger relieved Volquez. Boxberger was called up from the minors earlier in the day.
Cincinnati essentially gave up on Volquez after four inconsistent seasons, but he has steadied himself with San Diego. The right-hander pitched well against his former team on July 5, allowing only one run in eight innings of a 2-1 victory. He had a tougher time in the rematch, giving up five runs in five innings, including solo homers by Drew Stubbs and Jay Bruce.
Volquez hadn’t allowed five earned runs in any of his last six starts. His record was more a reflection of the Padres’ lack of offense. They averaged only 2.59 runs when he was on the mound, the lowest run support in the majors.
No problem this time.
Leake threw 32 pitches in the second and retired only two of the nine batters he faced. San Diego sent 10 batters to the plate for five runs, with Leake walking three to keep it going. Venable singled home a run, and Quentin’s two-run single made it 5-3 and ended the shortest outing of Leake’s career after 49 pitches, only 25 of them strikes.
Reliever Alfredo Simon also had trouble throwing strikes. He walked two in the third inning, and Venable’s bases-loaded triple made it 8-3. Venable scored on Simon’s wild pitch.
NOTES: Alonso has nine multi-double games this season, a club record. ... Grandal left in the second inning after straining muscles in his right side on a hard swing. ... The Padres put LH reliever Joe Thatcher on the 15-day DL with tendinitis in his right knee. ... Reds 2B Brandon Phillips was back in the lineup. He left Sunday’s game with a cramp in his left calf. ... Scott Rolen’s RBI single extended his hitting streak to a season-high eight games.