Will Benson laced a walk-off RBI single to right field in a two-run ninth inning to give the Cincinnati Reds a 3-2 victory over the visiting San Diego Padres on Sunday.
With the Reds trailing 2-1 entering the ninth against Padres closer Robert Suarez (2-4), Elly De La Cruz reached on third-baseman Tyler Wade’s fielding error, before Suarez got Austin Hays to fly out. Gavin Lux walked, leading to Spencer Steer’s game-tying single to center.
Jose Trevino singled to load the bases, setting up Benson’s game-winner to help the Reds take the weekend series for their fifth victory in the past seven games.
Nick Lodolo allowed one run on seven hits across 5 1/3 innings for Cincinnati, striking out five and walking two. Emilio Pagan (1-2) threw a scoreless top of the ninth for the Reds and Benson went 3-for-4 in the victory.
Stephen Kolek allowed one run on three hits in 5 2/3 innings for the Padres, while striking out five and walking one. Xander Bogaerts went 3-for-4 with a solo home run for San Diego, which has dropped two of three after a 4-2 homestand.
San Diego struck first as Bogaerts led off the fourth inning with his fifth home run of the season to give the Padres a 1-0 edge.
San Diego’s Gavin Sheets and Jose Iglesias each singled to begin the sixth before Jake Cronenworth’s sacrifice bunt advanced both runners. Scott Barlow replaced Lodolo and retired Elias Diaz before he walked Luis Arraez to load the bases. Manny Machado popped out to end the threat.
Benson began the sixth for the Reds with a single and Matt McLain reached on a two-out infield single to chase Kolek from the game. The Padres’ Adrian Morejon allowed De La Cruz’s game-tying single on his first pitch.
Lyon Richardson pitched the seventh for the Reds, surrendering Fernando Tatis Jr.’s one-out walk and Bogaerts subsequent double. Sheets was walked intentionally for incoming reliever Tony Santillan, who allowed Iglesias’ run-scoring groundout to give San Diego a 2-1 lead.
Benson doubled and reached third in the eighth, but reliever Jason Adam struck out McLain to preserve the Padres’ one-run lead.
