After the San Diego Padres frustratingly fell 2-0 to the Cincinnati Reds in Tuesday’s series opener, the offense went completely silent as opponents shut out the Friars in back-to-back games.

Behind Luis Arráez‘s four-hit game, San Diego turned in a much-needed big offensive night and cruised to a 7-3 win over Cincinnati to even the series 1-1

The action began when Arráez launched a rare home run 374 feet to right field, plating the first Padres run in 19 innings to lead off the top of the first inning.

The blast came off former Padre Nick Martinez, who made a spot start for Reds manager David Bell.

For the Padres, Mike Shildt gave right-hander Michael King the nod, who has showcased inconsistencies to begin his tenure in the brown and gold.

After perplexing an intimidating Los Angeles Dodgers lineup with 11 punch outs over seven scoreless innings, the last-place Colorado Rockies tagged the hurler for six earned runs in 5.1 frames in the following start.

The Reds answered the Padres’ first-inning run with a solo shot of their own from Jeimer Candelario with two outs in the inning.

San Diego retook the lead 2-1 in the top of the fourth inning. Former Padre-killer David Peralta, making his Friars debut with Xander Bogaerts going on the injured list with a fractured shoulder, scored Jurickson Profar on a fielder’s choice that Profar beat at the plate.

The Padres maintained the momentum from the prior inning and scored three in the fifth to take a 5-1 advantage over the Reds

First, Fernando Tatis Jr. scorched a 109-MPH single the other way and scored Luis Campusano. Second, Profar extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a double into the left-centerfield gap, plating Tatis Jr.

Then, Cincinnati went to southpaw Brent Suter for a left-on-left matchup with Jake Cronenworth, who stayed on a slider and singled home Profar. All five runs at the end of the fourth frame were charged to Martinez.

The Friars added two more in the sixth inning, the first run via an RBI single from Tyler Wade that deflected off first basemen Spencer Steer and scored José Azocar. Wade advanced to second on the play.

Then, Arráez collected his third knock of the day, a single which scored Wade and gave San Diego a 7-1 lead. Arráez has collected multiple hits in seven straight and rides a 27-game on-base streak, both the longest of his career.

However, Cincinnati got two runs back in the bottom half of the inning with a two-RBI double by Reds backstop Tyler Stephenson.

King departed with two outs in the seventh inning and was responsible for Steer on third base. Southpaw Wandy Peralta entered for the advantageous matchup against the left-handed Will Benson. Peralta made quick work of Benson, striking him out of three pitches and stranding Steer.

At the end of King’s line, the right-hander tossed 6.2 frames, allowing three earned runs and punching out six.

Despite the non-save situation with a 7-3 lead, closer Robert Suarez shut the door in the ninth as rain fell and lightning struck Great American Ballpark.

The Padres look to take the series and make it a 5-2 road trip tomorrow (5/23) with Matt Waldron on the hill. 

Max Schwartzberg

A San Diegan born and raised, Max Schwartzberg is a diehard Padres fan who created and hosts the YouTube channel Padres Previews, a hub where he passionately delivers Padres news, updates, reactions, and hype videos. At Northeastern, Max broadcasts and writes for baseball, basketball, and hockey. Max dreams of following in the steps of Padres broadcaster and Northeastern alumnus Don Orsillo to become a Major League Baseball announcer.