Darvish earns 1st win of season and Machado hits 3-run double as Padres defeat Reds 6-4
By RICHARD J. MARCUS
Associated Press
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Yu Darvish earned his first win of the season, pitching five shutout innings after coming off the injured list, and Manny Machado hit a three-run double as the San Diego Padres beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-4 on Tuesday night to halt a five-game slide.
Darvish (1-1) was in command throughout his outing, giving up three hits and no walks while striking out three.
“Obviously, you are in there trying to get us out of the funk, so that is the mentality — let’s stop the losing streak right here,” Darvish said through a translator. “Overall, the ball was coming out right. I had pretty good command for the most part.”
San Diego improved to 7-12 at home, including 2-9 at night.
“We will put it behind us and it will be a blip and something we won’t think about because we are going to go play good baseball,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said of the losing streak. “That was fantastic by Darvish. He was tremendous. … We needed that pitching performance.”
Reds manager David Bell was ejected after the seventh inning following a heated exchange with plate umpire Cory Blaser.
The Padres scored four times in the fifth to take a 5-0 lead. The rally was keyed by Machado’s bases-loaded double to right-center with none out off starter Nick Martinez (0-2), who pitched for San Diego the past two seasons.
“Bad execution to the wrong guy,” Martinez said. “That’s kind of been my thing this year. Some bad luck and the bad pitch, four runs. It’s frustrating, but part of the game. I just have to keep going.”
San Diego’s first run came in the third when Jake Cronenworth singled in Fernando Tatis Jr., who doubled.
“We need to keep creating opportunities,” Machado said. “Last week or so we haven’t created as much and you start stressing when you are trying to create.”
Tatis added an RBI groundout in the sixth.
The Padres also loaded the bases with no outs in the first, but Martinez was able to wiggle out of the jam without allowing a run. Martinez lasted five innings, permitting five runs (three earned) and six hits.
“We had our chances to even score some more runs. Those are some opportunities we need to capitalize on. But, it was great all around,” Cronenworth said. “(Darvish) looked great. It didn’t even look like he took any time off.”
Jonathan India had a two-run single for Cincinnati in the sixth. Padres reliever Enyel De Los Santos gave up solo homers to Jeimer Candelario and Stuart Fairchild in the seventh, cutting San Diego’s lead to 6-4.
Yuki Matsui threw 1 2/3 hitless innings and Robert Suarez worked a perfect ninth for his 10th save.
“Yuki was great,” Shildt said. “Quality strikes, pitches in the zone. He did a nice job tonight.”
Jurickson Profar had three hits for the Padres.
Cincinnati had a dreadful night in the field, committing three errors that led to two unearned runs.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: An MRI on 1B Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s left hand showed no serious issues. … Cincinnati reliever Justin Wilson left in the eighth with an apparent injury after being hit in the leg by a 100 mph line drive. … Frankie Montas (bruised right forearm) is expected back May 7. He is slated to throw another bullpen before his return. … RHP Ian Gibaut (right forearm strain) had his rehab assignment halted for a second time after he reported discomfort in his right forearm during his April 26 appearance with Triple-A Louisville.
Padres: To make room for Darvish, who was on the injured list with neck tightness, LHP Tom Cosgrove was optioned to Triple-A El Paso. After a breakthrough 2023 season, Cosgrove has struggled this year, allowing 14 runs over 12 relief innings.
UP NEXT
Reds RHP Graham Ashcraft (3-1, 4.40) faces RHP Joe Musgrove (3-3, 6.94) in the series finale Wednesday afternoon.
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