Split squad of Padres unable to contain Reds
Ross solid in Cactus League debut, but San Diego's relievers struggle
PEORIA, Ariz. -- A day after storms soaked the Cactus League, the Reds' bats provided some thunder of their own Sunday afternoon as Cincinnati tallied 20 hits and routed the Padres, 15-4, before a crowd of 3,311 at the Peoria Sports Complex.
Although the final score showed an offensive outburst, both starters pitched well in their spring debuts.
For the Padres, right-hander Tyson Ross faced the minimum in his two innings, walking one but eventually erasing him on a double play.
Reds righty Brett Marshall, who started on short notice after Mike Leake was scratched, also tossed two hitless frames, walking a pair and striking out one. Cincinnati claimed Marshall off waivers last month from the Cubs.
Following each starter's clean outing, the Reds got the scoring started in the third when Roger Bernadina, Billy Hamilton and Jay Bruce all delivered RBI hits off Padres bullpen candidate Burch Smith to take a 3-0 lead.
The Reds continued their assault an inning later by putting up another three-spot, this time courtesy of a Zack Cozart RBI single followed by a two-run triple by Brandon Phillips. That hit marked the end of Smith's rough spring debut as he surrended six earned runs on eight hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Already comfortably ahead, the Reds reached double-digits in the fifth, plating four runs (one earned) off Padres right-hander Anthony Carter. New Reds utility man Skip Schumaker highlighted the rally with a two-out, two-run single to center.
No-hit through five innings, the Padres got on the board in the sixth, pushing across four runs on four hits off Reds reliever Daniel Corcino, including a two-run single from veteran outfielder Seth Smith, whom the club acquired from Oakland this offseason in exchange for reliever Luke Gregerson.
Up next: Josh Johnson will make his anticipated Padres debut Monday when the club travels to Scottsdale, Ariz., to face the Giants at 12:05 p.m. PT in an exclusive audio webcast on MLB.com. Signed to a one-year, $8 million deal in the offseason, Johnson is expected to begin the season in the middle of the rotation. The 30-year-old is coming off an injury-shortened 2013 season in which he only made 16 starts and finished with a 6.20 ERA for the Blue Jays.