Padres at Reds
The Cincinnati Reds might not be near the top of the standings in the Nationals League, but it's still a lot of fun to watch them hit. The Reds will try to put on another power display and grab a second consecutive win when they host the San Diego Padres in the second of a four-game series on Tuesday.
Cincinnati is 20 games under .500 at 46-66 but put on a show in the series opener on Monday with four home runs, including a grand slam from Patrick Kivlehan, in an 11-3 trouncing. Joey Votto slammed his 30th homer of the season in the victory and is making his way up franchise leaderboards into a tie with Ted Kluszewski (251) for fifth place on the franchise leaderboard and one ahead of former teammate Jay Bruce for the most in Great American Ballpark history at 136. Votto is 3-for-6 without a homer in his career against Padres right-hander Luis Perdomo, who starts on Tuesday opposite Reds righty Sal Romano. San Diego lost four of its last five games and is allowing an average of 6.6 runs in that span.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RHP Luis Perdomo (5-6, 4.92 ERA) vs. Reds RH Sal Romano (2-3, 4.88)
Perdomo is coming off a tough outing against Minnesota in which he was charged with five runs and seven hits in six innings. The Dominican Republic native allowed at least four earned runs in four of his last six outings and did not notch more than four strikeouts in any of those starts. Perdomo was stronger against Cincinnati on June 12, when he yielded three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings to earn a win.
Romano is trying to settle into his first stint in a big-league rotation and went six innings at Pittsburgh on Thursday but was charged with four runs and eight hits in a loss. The 23-year-old did not walk a batter in those six frames after issuing six free passes in 3 2/3 innings against Miami his previous turn. Romano won his last start at home, limiting Miami to one run and three hits in six innings on July 23.
WALK-OFFS
1. Votto hit safely in each of his last 12 games.
2. San Diego LF Jose Pirela homered twice on Monday to lift his season total to seven.
3. Cincinnati placed C Devin Mesoraco on the paternity list and recalled RHP Austin Brice on Monday.