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Baker upset as blundering Reds lose eighth of 10

Apr 24, 2010 - 9:23 PM CINCINNATI(AP) -- Dusty Baker is fed up - and apparently, he let his players know it.

Baker spoke with the Cincinnati Reds after they made three baserunning blunders and outfielder Drew Stubbs lost track of the number of outs in a 5-0 loss to the San Diego Padres on Saturday.

But he did not participate in his usual postgame session with the media.

"Dusty's upset, and rightfully so," third baseman Scott Rolen said when told Baker didn't talk with reporters after the Reds had a season-low four hits while being shut out for the first time this season.

"He's not happy with what's going on on the field. We're not either," Rolen said.

Adrian Gonzalez homered for the second straight day, Wade LeBlanc pitched three-hit ball over six innings and the Padres won their eighth straight.

Will Venable also connected and Yorvit Torrealba added a two-run double to help send the Reds to their eighth loss in 10 games.

LeBlanc (1-0), making his second start since being recalled from Triple-A Portland on April 18, walked two and struck out three.

"He mixed his pitches up," said Rolen, who went 0 for 3. "That's what he set out to do and he accomplished it."

"Wade threw really well," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "He mixed his pitches properly and effectively."

Luke Gregerson retired all six batters he faced and Edward Mujica allowed a hit in the ninth to finish the Padres' third shutout of the season.

LeBlanc retired Cincinnati's first eight batters before Cueto popped up a bunt that fell between the mound and first base for a hit. Drew Stubbs followed with an infield single, but Cueto - anticipating an out - wandered off second base and was tagged out.

That was the first of three Reds to make baserunning errors. Brandon Phillips ended the fourth inning and Jonny Gomes the fifth by being caught stealing, LeBlanc to first baseman Gonzalez to second baseman David Eckstein.

"I don't usually have a good pickoff move," LeBlanc said. "That was good strategy from the coaching staff. They made the calls from the bench."

Stubbs, Cincinnati's center fielder, caught Kyle Blanks' routine fly ball and threw it into the stands, even though it was only the second out of the sixth inning. Nobody was on base at the time.

The usual postgame 10-minute closed clubhouse period lasted an extra three minutes and a member of the team's media relations department who usually is immediately allowed into the clubhouse waited in the lobby.

"We haven't played good baseball the last couple of days," Rolen said. "It's time for us to start taking care of ourselves. We're trying. It just didn't look that way today."

Johnny Cueto (0-1) lasted six innings and picked up his first decision in four starts. The Padres reached him for seven hits and five runs. He walked one and struck out five.

The Padres winning streak is their longest since winning 10 in a row last May 15-25.

Gonzalez gave San Diego a 1-0 lead with an opposite-field homer to left-center on an 0-1 pitch with two outs in the first inning, his fifth of the season and fifth in San Diego's last six games against the Reds, all at Cincinnati and dating back to last season.

"Gonzalez has good power to the opposite field," Black said. "We've seen it at home and on the road."

Chase Headley doubled and Venable walked to lead off the fourth inning. One out later, Torrealba lined a double into the left-center field gap for a 3-0 lead.

Venable followed Chase Headley's single with his fourth homer of the season, a 405-foot shot into the right field seats on a 2-2 pitch in the sixth. Venable improved to 4 for 5 with two home runs and five RBI in his career against Cueto.

NOTES: Gonzalez tied Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn Sr. for fourth place on San Diego's career home run list with 135. Dave Winfield, also in the Hall of Fame, is third with 154. ... Padres RHP Chris Young, who is on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right shoulder, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Monday in Florida. He reported no problems after a four-inning simulated game in the bullpen before Friday's game. Young is eligible to be activated.