SD 6, CIN 2: Ross & Co. rain on Reds parade

After the 7-3 ground pound in Petco Park two nights ago, the Padres look to extend their winning streak to 3 games. (Spoiler alert: They did.) For the first time this season the Friars squared off against the Reds. San Diego was 5-1 against the Reds last year, and kept them under ten runs in the six games they faced off.

Tyson Ross was our weapon tonight. He is undefeated in three lifetime starts against Cincinnati. He beefed that up to 4-0 tonight after going 5 strong innings in a rain-riddled game, giving up only 2 earned runs and striking out 7. A four inning relief effort from Dale Thayer, Brandon Maurer, Joaquin Benoit, and Frank Garces of shutout baseball. The Reds were held to six hits.

Through five innings of work, @TysonRoss has 7 Ks and a flashed the leather early on. pic.twitter.com/jfd5Ns4e5r

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 6, 2015

Now, the Padres have scored 42 runs in the first inning, compared to their 62 scored runs in the entirety of the 2014 season. (Is comparing this year's bats to last year's still cool?) Things started a little weird on the scoring side. Last Friday, Yonder Alonso was walked with the bases loaded to give the Padres their very first run. Tonight, Yonder gets pegged to give the Pads the quick 1-0 spot. Last Friday Will Middlebrooks then tacked on an extra run with a sac fly for another run. Tonight? Same thing.

The very next inning, Will Venable came up on a one-out full count and slapped a line drive home run into the first five rows of the right-center bleachers, putting the Friars up 3-0. Last Friday? Venable RBI-single in the fourth. Top of the third now, with a runner in scoring position, Matt Kemp was getting a little bored with the weird parallels. After a soft fly ball floated his way, he decided it was time to roll out his hip exercises.

What's that one Limp Bizkit song called?

The scoring continued for the Pads. The power of Will's refuse to quit, as Will Middlebrooks hits a home run of his own into the cloudy Cincinnati night. The fellas in red struck back with a 2-run RBI from Joey Votto, ending Ross' 19-inning scoreless streak against the the Reds. After three more chilly innings, Ninja knocks in the speedy Cory Spangenberg to make things 5-2, and the rain starts pouring down. Tarp out, rain delay!

Spangy tells Ross the story about that one time in San Antonio when he had to paddle his way through a river and shield himself from jumping fish.

Aaaaaaaaaaand we're back. Derek Norris 2-run solo shot! That would put the Padres up 6-2 and end up being the final score of the night. A wobbly three outs would punch out the Reds and give the Friars a quick leg up on the series.

MVP MVP MVP MVP MVP MVP MVP MVP MVP MVP MVP MVP MVP.

Tomorrow Andrew Cashner gets a chance to keep boosting his statz against the righty Michael Lorenzen.

Source: FanGraphs
The Padres had the game in the bag from the get-go. But Votto's RBI was pretty cute.

Christopher Hondros was the chattin' king, but Wonko was the rec czar.