Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.

Before closer Kirby Yates gave up a run in the ninth inning Monday night in Cincinnati, Padres relievers had worked 10 straight scoreless innings in three straight wins.

And the ninth-inning run on Monday snapped a string of 12 straight scoreless innings by the Padres bullpen dating back to last Saturday.

In the three straight wins, Padres relievers have worked 11 innings, allowing the one run on five hits and one walk with 16 strikeouts -- a 0.82 ERA and a 0.55 WHIP. And Padres relievers have given up the one run on six hits and the one walk with 19 strikeouts over the past 13 innings.

Leading the charge, of course, was Yates. He picked up his Major League-leading 36th save Monday as he picked up his third save in as many games for the third time this season and the first time since he picked up saves in three straight games at Dodger Stadium July 5-7 just before the All-Star break.

Over this three-game streak, Yates allowed the one run Monday on three hits and two hit batters with five strikeouts. He did throw 67 pitches in the three games. Yates has converted 36 of 39 save opportunities with a 1.24 earned run average.

Notebook

• C Francisco Mejia’s game-winning homer Monday night in Cincinnati was his third at Great American Ball Park and continued his offensive surge. Since his last start in July, Mejia has gone 21-for-49 (.429) with two doubles, a triple, three home runs, seven RBIs, 10 runs scored and a pair of walks. He has a .451 on-base percentage and a .694 on-base percentage for a 1.145 OPS during the run.

• 3B Manny Machado’s RBI single off Trevor Bauer Monday ended a stretch of having only one RBI in the previous 12 games. But it continued a strong run of success against Bauer. Machado is 10-for-17 (.588) lifetime against Bauer with six RBIs. Machado is 6-for-22 in an active, five-game hitting streak.

• RHP Luis Perdomo has made six straight scoreless appearances, allowing five hits and no walks with seven strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings. He has lowered his ERA from 4.02 to 3.52 during the run. Perdomo has held opponents scoreless in nine of his last 10 outings with a 1.72 ERA over 15 2/3 innings.

• 1B Eric Hosmer’s seven-game hitting streak ended with an 0-for-4 Monday.

• RF Hunter Renfroe is in a 2-for-21 slump over his last six games with a double, no RBIs, five walks and four runs scored.