Padres 6, Reds 2
CINCINNATI -- San Diego's struggling Tyson Ross saw on Friday the team he needed to see.
Ross, whose last two decisions were losses, took a step toward getting back on track against the Cincinnati Reds, a team to which he'd never lost. Will Venable, Will Middlebrooks and Derek Norris all hit solo home runs in support of the right-hander as the Padres picked up their fourth win in their last five games, 6-2 over the Reds before a crowd of 33,381 in the opener of a three-game series.
Every San Diego starter except Ross logged at least one hit in a balanced attack.
Joey Votto drove in the only two runs for the Reds, who've lost three out of their last four games after sweeping NL East-leading Washington last weekend. They were forced to send out yet another rookie making his major league debut, right-hander Jon Moscot, after Raisel Iglesias was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique.
Moscot (0-1) is the fourth rookie to start this season for the Reds and third to make his major league debut.
Ross (3-5) didn't return after rain delayed the top of the sixth for 69 minutes with the Padres having opened up a 5-2 lead on Cory Spangenberg's single and Alexi Amarista's double. Ross allowed five hits and two runs with three walks and seven strikeouts.
Norris, who went into the game leading National League catchers with 34 runs batted in, added one with his sixth homer of the season, a 378-foot drive into the left field seats on a 1-0 pitch from right-hander Pedro Villareal with one out in the seventh inning.
Ross was 0-2 over his last three starts, but he was 3-0 with a 0.72 ERA and 24 strikeouts with just nine walks in 25 innings over four career appearances, including three starts, against the Reds. Cincinnati batters had logged a combined .145 average against him, and he was 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two starts against the Reds at Great American Ball Park.
The Padres went into the game leading the National League with 40 first-inning runs, and they wasted no time padding their total against the inexperienced Moscot. San Diego loaded the bases with one out on a walk and two ground-ball singles. Moscot walked Yonder Alonso to force in one run and Middlebrooks followed with a sacrifice fly.
The Padres went into the game 12-9 when scoring in the first inning and 8-3 when scoring more than one run.
Venable hit his fourth homer of the season and first since May 8, a 387-foot line drive to right-center field on a 3-2 pitch with one out in the third. Middlebrooks made it 4-0 with a 399-foot shot to near straightaway center field with two outs and nobody on in the fourth -- his eighth homer of the season.
Moscot lasted five innings, allowing four hits and four runs with three walks and three strikeouts.
The Reds loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth, and Votto broke up Ross' bid for a shutout with a two-run single to left before Ross bounced back to get Todd Frazier swinging and Jay Bruce looking.
NOTES: The Reds made a flurry of roster moves before Friday's game. They placed RHP Raisel Iglesias on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 31, with a strained left oblique, recalled RHP Pedro Villareal and designated RHP Jason Marquis for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for RHP Jon Moscot, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Louisville. Moscot took the mound against San Diego, becoming the fourth rookie to start this season for Cincinnati and the third to make his major-league debut. Villareal is in his fourth stint with the Reds. He made two appearances in the previous three. ... San Diego INF/OF Wil Myers, sidelined since May 11 with a left wrist injury, reacted well to taking batting practice before Friday's game, manager Bud Black said. If he continues to make progress on Saturday, the Padres already have a flight for him to Las Vegas, where he'll meet Triple-A El Paso and play on Sunday. ... RHP Andrew Cashner will start Saturday for San Diego and RHP Odrisamer Despaigne is Sunday's scheduled starter, Black said before Friday's game. Both slots were TBA hours earlier.