CINCINNATI (AP) - Joey Votto extended his best hitting streak. Stuart Turner connected for his first major league homer. The Reds had a lot of nice moments in a comfortable win - something they don’t get very often these days.
Votto extended his longest hitting streak of the season to 14 games, Turner hit a two-run shot, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the San Diego Padres 8-3 on Wednesday night in a game that was well in hand early.
“A lot of great moments,” manager Bryan Price said.
It included a few more from Cincinnati’s best player.
Votto had a double and a single off left-hander Travis Wood (2-4), who made his third start since San Diego acquired him in a trade with Kansas City. Votto’s career high is a 17-game hitting streak last season. He’s batting .477 with four homers during the current one.
Turner and Eugenio Suarez each had a two-run homer, and Jose Peraza singled with the bases loaded off Wood, who lasted five innings.
“It was just one of those grinding days that didn’t go my way,” Wood said.
Turner’s homer on a 2-0 pitch was a no-doubter from the moment it left his bat, landing in the upper deck.
“It could’ve been a wall-scraper and I would’ve taken it,” the catcher said. “I got to 2-0 and got a pitch to drive and didn’t miss it.”
Asher Wojciechowski (3-1) won his second straight start despite allowing a solo homer by Manuel Margot and a two-run shot by Wil Myers . He gave up seven hits and struck out six in 5 2/3 innings.
The Reds are 8-18 since the All-Star break. San Diego has lost five of seven.
The Reds are 2-4 against San Diego with one game left in their series. They haven’t won a season series against the Padres since 2012.
KEEP RUNNING
Wojciechowski had to hustle for his first major league hit in the fourth. He singled to right, but Hunter Renfroe quickly got to the ball and threw to first. Wojciechowski barely beat the throw and broke into a smile after crossing the base.
“I hit it harder than I thought, and I got out of the box slow,” the pitcher said. “I thought he might try to throw me out, and when he looked at the first baseman, I knew I had to turn it on.”
SAVING CATCH
Renfroe made a sliding catch of Adam Duvall’s fly ball down the line later in the fourth, helping San Diego escape a bases-loaded threat.
EXTRA WORK
Myers spent extra time in the batting cage pregame, trying to work some kinks out of his swing. He’s batting only .238 and came into the game in a 3-for-19 slump.
“I’ve never gone through this in my career,” Myers said. “I’ve never struggled this bad for this long. I’m just trying to find positives in this and get out of it.”
A PADRES FIRST
Margot’s 10th homer made him the first Padres centerfielder to reach the mark in his rookie season.
CAPPS STRUGGLES
Carter Capps was called up to start the series and retired only two of the five batters he faced in his Padres debut. He pitched the sixth inning on Wednesday and gave up a pair of runs, including Peraza’s RBI single. Capps missed last season recovering from Tommy John surgery.
REDS ADDITION
Cincinnati claimed RH Luke Farrell off waivers from the Dodgers and optioned him to Triple-A Louisville. They designated utility player Scott Van Slyke for assignment.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: RF Scott Schebler plans to take batting practice on Thursday as he recovers from a sore left shoulder. He’s been sidelined since Aug. 1 and plans to be activated this weekend.
UP NEXT
Padres: RH Dinelson Lamet (6-4) has won his last three starts. He’s trying to become the first Padres pitcher to win four in a row since Jesse Hahn in 2014. He has a 1.96 ERA during his winning streak.
Reds: RH Luis Castillo (2-5) makes his 10th major league start and his first against San Diego. He gave up four runs in 6 1/3 innings of a 4-1 loss to St. Louis on Saturday.
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