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Reds spoil Kennedy's excellent start, defeat Padres in extras

Aug 12, 2013 - 3:39 AM Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - San Diego Padres starter Ian Kennedy gave an exasperated sigh as he tilted his head toward the sky in the eighth inning.

After he retired 16 straight hitters with only five outs remaining to finish off a masterpiece, Kennedy gave up an infield single and Xavier Paul's home run to the right-field seats, which tied the game at two in an instant.

Following Paul's dramatic home run, the Cincinnati Reds outlasted the Padres for a 3-2 win in 13 innings.

Joey Votto, who went 0-for-4 to lose his eight-game hitting streak, delivered the game-winning sacrifice fly in the 13th inning to send the Reds to their fourth win in five games.

"We had to persevere," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "They threatened a bunch of times. It looked bleak for a while. Every time you turned around we were in trouble. It really taxed our bullpen heading to Chicago. We had to bear down to our last man today."

Paul hit his third pinch-hit home run this season and seventh home run overall.

Kennedy took a no decision despite giving up the two runs on only three hits with three strikeouts in eight innings.

Yonder Alonso had a pair of hits and scored a run for the Padres, who lost for the fourth time in five games.

"We got some good pitches to hit, but we didn't advance runners," Padres manager Bud Black said.

The Reds rallied in the ninth inning after Jack Hannahan worked a one-out walk against Tim Stauffer (1-1). Shin-Soo Choo snapped an 0-for-15 and moved Hannahan to third with a double. Ryan Hanigan was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Votto, who clinched the Reds' ninth walk-off win with a sacrifice fly.

Sam LeCure (2-1) picked up the win after tossing 1 1/3 perfect innings.

San Diego took the lead in the second inning after Alonso, Logan Forsythe and Ronny Cedeno singled to load the bases with one out. Rene Rivera lofted a sacrifice fly to center field to score Alonso. Reds center fielder Shin-Soo Choo tried to double up Forsythe at second, but shortstop Cesar Izturis' relay throw went into right field, allowing Forsythe to come all the way home to give the Padres a 2-0 lead.

The Padres squandered opportunities to build their lead throughout the day. Will Venable struck out with two outs and the bases loaded in the fourth, Rivera grounded out with two outs and a runner on third in the sixth and Venable was retired in a run down between third and home on Alexi Amarista's one-out fielder's choice in the seventh.

After pitcher Mike Leake's base hit in the third, Kennedy retired 16 straight hitters until Zack Cozart's pinch-hit infield single in the eighth. Paul followed with pinch-hit home run deep into the right-field seats to tie the game and snap the Reds' 15 2/3 inning scoreless streak dating back to the first inning of Saturday's 3-1 loss.

Game Notes

Leake, who started the game for Cincinnati, took a no decision after giving up two runs -- one earned -- on six hits in seven innings ... The Reds are 37-20 at Great American Ball Park this season ... San Diego is 3-9 in rubber matches this season ... Venable went 1-for-7 and extended his hitting streak to eight games ... Kennedy has one win since June 1 (13 starts) ... The Reds' top seven in the lineup went a combined 2-for-33 ... Kennedy matched a season-low by allowing three hits (three times) ... The Padres went 1-for-17 with runners in scoring position and left 15 men on base ... Cincinnati went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven.