Sal Stewart delivered the swing Cincinnati needed most, launching a two-run homer in the 11th inning to send the Reds past the Padres 5-3 at Petco Park on Tuesday.
The win ended a five-game losing streak and gave the Reds a needed lift after a tense extra-inning battle in San Diego.
Stewart Comes Through in the 11th
With one out and a runner on third, Stewart attacked the first pitch he saw from Padres reliever Yuki Matsui. He drove a splitter to center field for his team-leading 13th home run of the season.
The blast broke open a game that had already gone beyond regulation once before. Cincinnati had pushed across a go-ahead run in the top of the 10th when Eugenio Suárez doubled down the left-field line to score automatic runner Spencer Steer.
San Diego answered in the bottom of the 10th, however, when Samad Taylor lined a one-out RBI single to force a second extra inning. Stewart’s homer in the 11th finally settled it.
Burns Keeps Building His Case
Chase Burns once again gave the Reds a strong starting effort, even though he did not factor into the decision. The right-hander worked 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.
For the first time in his brief professional career, Burns went past 100 pitches and threw 105. Through 13 starts, he is 7-1 with a 2.14 ERA, which ranks third in the National League.
Burns also ranks fourth in WHIP at 0.99 and fourth in strikeouts with 88. He has allowed two or fewer runs in 10 straight starts, matching Andy Coakley’s 1908 mark for second-longest in franchise history and trailing only Edinson Volquez’s 12 in 2008.