CINCINNATI (AP) - Every time Luis Perdomo got into trouble, he got what he wanted - a ground ball on Great American Ball Park’s accommodating infield grass.
Perdomo escaped threats by inducing three ground-ball double plays - his specialty - and the San Diego Padres used a balanced offense to pull away for a 7-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
Jose Pirela tied his career high with four hits, and Yangervis Solarte had a homer among his three hits as the Padres improved to 4-1 against the Reds. Cincinnati hasn’t won a season series against San Diego since the 2012 season.
“Jose was the story of the game - hit after hit, good at-bat after good at-bat,” manager Andy Green said.
There was another story line underneath it all. Perdomo (6-6) pitched into the seventh by repeatedly escaping trouble with his sinker. The right-hander has induced 23 double plays, among the most in the majors.
The Padres turned a fourth double play when Zack Cozart struck out and Billy Hamilton was caught stealing.
“In the Midwest, the thicker grass slows things down,” Green said. “Guys have better range.”
And Perdomo knew that his only chance to stay in the game was to avoid letting the Reds hit one in the seats with runners aboard. Tucker Barnhart hit a three-run homer off Jose Torres.
“In this ballpark, the ball flies a bit, so you’ve got to keep it down,” Perdomo said through a translator.
San Diego piled up nine hits and five runs off Sal Romano (2-4), who was in trouble in each of his six innings. Austin Hedges homered for a 5-0 lead in the sixth. Solarte connected for a two-run shot an inning later.
“I’m still learning,” said Romano, who made his seventh major league appearance. “It’s going to take time. I had a bad day.”
Pirela and Solarte have led the way against the Reds this season.
Pirela had his first career multihomer game on Monday. He had a two doubles and two singles on Tuesday, leaving him 10 for 20 with three doubles and two homers in five games against the Reds this season. Solarte is 15 for 34 against the Reds over the last two seasons with two homers.
The Reds have gone 7-18 since the All-Star break.
VOTTO CONTAINED
Joey Votto extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a single, but he failed to extend his streak of homers in three consecutive games. He’s never homered in four in a row.
A SLICK PLAY …
The Padres pulled off an improbable double play to escape a bases-loaded, no-out threat in the second inning with the speedy Hamilton at bat. Second baseman Carlos Asuaje fielded his grounder and flipped to shortstop Dusty Coleman, who did a spin move to grab the throw, kick the base and throw to first, barely beating Hamilton.
… AND A PAYBACK
Hamilton made an equally impressive play in the top of the fourth, robbing Asuaje of extra bases. He grabbed Asuaje’s fly ball with his back to the infield, then ran into the wall and held on while tumbling to the ground.
STILL NOTHING
Padres reliever Brad Hand pitched the ninth and extended his scoreless innings streak to 24, the longest active one in the majors.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: Green decided not to use RH reliever Carter Capps two days in a row. He missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery, was called up on Monday and faced five batters.
Reds: RHP Scott Feldman could be available to pitch over the weekend. He’s recovering from a sore right knee that landed him on the DL on July 18.
UP NEXT
Padres: LHP Travis Wood (2-3) makes his third start for the Padres. He’s 1-0 after his first two starts with a 4.91 ERA.
Reds: RHP Asher Wojciechowski (2-1) won his last start, allowing one run in five innings of a 3-2 victory over the Cardinals on Friday. It was his first win since May 20.
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