Sal Stewart's 13th Bomb Sends The Padres To Their 12th Loss In 15 Games And It's Getting Worse

Holy smokes, baseball fans, you absolutely gotta hear about what went down Tuesday night in San Diego! The Cincinnati Reds, who were on a brutal five-game losing skid, just ripped the hearts out of the Padres with a wild 5-3 extra-inning win. And yeah, you guessed it, the dagger came from Sal Stewart, who smashed a two-run homer in the 11th. For the Padres faithful, this one stings, like, really stings. It was their 12th loss in their last 15 games, and right now, things are looking grim in the Emerald City of the South.

Stewart's Clutch Power Play And The Reds' Gritty Win

You know those games where every single pitch feels like a season-defining moment? That was Tuesday night. After the Padres' Yuki Matsui got the leadoff guy out in the 11th, automatic runner Blake Dunn advanced to third. Then, Stewart stepped up and absolutely crushed a hanging splitter over the center field wall for his 13th homer of the year. Talk about a gut punch for the home team! Tejay Antone picked up the win, even after giving up a run in the 10th, and Zach Maxwell came in to seal the deal with his first major league save, shutting down the 11th in a quick 1-2-3 fashion. Before that, it was a back-and-forth battle, with Cincinnati grabbing a 3-2 lead in the 10th thanks to Eugenio Suarez's RBI double, only for San Diego to tie it right back up on a one-out RBI single from Samad Taylor. Wild stuff!

The Padres' Season Is In A Serious Tailspin

Seriously, what in the world is going on in San Diego? They actually out-hit the Reds 12-8, but that's where the good news ends. They went a mind-numbing 3-for-20 with runners in scoring position and left a staggering 13 runners stranded on base. That's just a recipe for disaster, folks. Their starting pitcher, Lucas Giolito, got a no-decision after just four innings, allowing two hits and two runs, with one being earned. But the real kicker was his five walks and a costly error on a comebacker in the third that led to a run. The Reds started their scoring with Matt McLain walking and stealing second, one of his three thefts, and part of the Reds' seven stolen bases on the night. Tyler Stephenson then singled him home. Giolito's struggles in the third, walking Stewart and Nathaniel Lowe after a Bleday single, set up the error. The Padres did tie it up in the bottom of the third with Fernando Tatis Jr. singling, then scoring on a Jackson Merrill triple, followed by Manny Machado bringing Merrill home with a single. Cincinnati's starter, Chase Burns, went 5 1/3 innings, giving up six hits and two runs with seven strikeouts. This kind of struggle is just brutal to watch for any team, and it's gotta be frustrating for their fans. You just can't expect to win ballgames leaving that many guys on base. They need to find some answers, and fast. Every game right now is a chance to turn the ship around, or watch it sink further.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.