A Promising Start
Today’s face-off against the San Diego Padres saw an enticing start for the Cincinnati Reds. After a quiet first half of the inning, the bottom of the first brought some action for us. TJ Friedl started things off with a walk, and despite being picked off, Matt McLain singled, paving the way for an offensive surge. Gavin Lux brought in McLain with a well-placed single, putting us on the scoreboard early with a 1-0 lead.
Reds Extend the Lead
In the second inning, the Reds kept the momentum rolling! Rece Hinds led off with a single, and when Espinal followed suit, Hinds advanced to third. Friedl's single brought Hinds home, and another hit by McLain scored Espinal. By the end of the inning, the Reds enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 lead. Things were looking good in the Queen City!
Padres and Home Runs
The Padres began to claw back in the 5th inning with a solo homer from Arraez. We responded with a sacrifice fly from Tyler Stephenson in the bottom half to maintain a 4-1 advantage. Unfortunately, the Padres were relentless, and they had their big moment in the 6th and 7th innings. Cronenworth and Sheets each hit crucial home runs for San Diego, shifting the tide and giving them a 6-4 advantage.
Reds Fight Back but Fall Short
Despite our boys' fight, the Padres' defense held strong. A couple of more walks from Friedl and Elly De La Cruz provided some hope in the 9th inning, but unfortunately, the runs didn't materialize. The heart and effort were evident, but we fell short with a final score of 6-4 in favor of the Padres.It was a tough loss, but no doubt the Reds will bounce back with the same fervor next time. Onward, Reds!
Keep your heads up and let’s get the next one! 
Scoreboard for Padres @ Reds (June 28th, 2025)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 0 |