CINCINNATI (AP) — Luis Arraez went 4 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs and the San Diego Padres beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-3 on Wednesday night.
He led off with his first homer of the season off Nick Martinez (1-3). It was his first home run since Sept. 16, 2023 when he hit a leadoff homer against Atlanta.
“It starts at the top with Arraez," Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “What a magician he is with that bat in his hands. It's really special.”
After being shut out in consecutive games including the second game of Monday’s doubleheader in Atlanta, Shildt allowed the players a later arrival time to the ballpark on Wednesday.
“Rest and hits, we love that,” Shildt said. “It was intentional. We had a doubleheader, then travel. We just decided today, being a day game tomorrow, be smart, save it for when the lights come on.”
Arraez, who has 25 home runs in 585 games, has seven leadoff homers for his career. His presence in the lineup is even more critical for the Padres who will be without Xander Bogaerts due to a fractured left shoulder.
“Since we have Arraez at the top of the lineup, he makes such a difference," Padres third baseman Manny Machado said. "It has been impressive having him on our team. He can hit a little bit.”
Jeimer Candelario's fifth home run of the season tied the score 1-1 in the first. 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, including an RBI double by Jurickson Profar to make the score 5-1.
“I like that second time through we strung together some really good at-bats," Shildt said. "Just a well-played game in all phases. Contribution throughout the lineup. Just fun stuff.”
Tyler Stephenson's two-run double off Michael King made the score 7-3. King (4-4) pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out six.
“Michael was great,” Shildt said. “Breaking ball was great. Everything was really good.”
The bottom of the ninth was played in heavy rain with thunder and flashes of lightning, but Robert Suarez closed out the Padres' win without a delay, striking out two.
Martinez gave up eight hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings.
“I’ve had a lot of bad luck as a starter," Martinez said. "I’ve had a lot of soft contact that fall in for hits. Today I (was facing) a lineup that feeds off off-speed pitches.”
