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Reds try to stay in win column in San Diego

Apr 12, 2011 - 2:58 PM (Sports Network) - The Cincinnati Reds will hope to stay on the winning track tonight when they play the middle portion of a three-game series with the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.

The defending National League Central champions got off to a fast start to the season, winning their first five games and plating at least seven runs in four of those outings.

The Reds then dropped three of their next four, but rebounded and won a close game last night in the opener of this series. Chris Heisey hit a go-ahead two- run homer in the fifth inning and Jonny Gomes also went deep in a 3-2 victory.

Edinson Volquez's first-inning struggles continued as he loaded the bases on two singles and a walk before hitting Ryan Ludwick with a pitch to force in a run. Brad Hawpe then lofted a sacrifice fly to give the Padres an early 2-0 lead, but Volquez settled down to win his second game of the season.

"I was fine. It's part of the game. There's nothing I can do about it but keep pitching and throw the ball well," said Volquez, who retired 11 straight at one point after his slow start.

Manager Dusty Baker won his 250th game with the Reds, becoming one of 11 managers with at least that many wins with three different teams.

Mat Latos made his season debut for the Padres after starting the season on the disabled list due to a shoulder injury. He was charged with three runs over six innings in the loss, San Diego's fourth in five games.

"I can't complain about anything," Latos said. "I didn't want a repeat of Spring Training. I kept the ball down in the zone and worked ahead. Everything felt fine."

It was also a rare loss for the Padres against the Reds, just their fourth in the past 14 meetings. San Diego is 5-2 at home versus Cincinnati in that span.

San Diego left-hander Clayton Richard will move up a day to start tonight's game after his last outing on Friday versus the Dodgers was cut to just a single inning due to rain. Richard won his season debut on April 2 in St. Louis, giving up three runs over six innings.

The 27-year-old has struggled in three career starts versus the Reds, going 0-1 with an 8.10 earned run average. He has been tagged for 12 earned runs, 18 hits and four homes over 13 1/3 innings.

Sam LeCure makes his second start of the season for the Reds and it will be his first ever against the Padres.

The 26-year-old righty pitched an inning of relief back on March 31, then made the seventh start of his career on Thursday versus Houston. It was a decent outing, with LeCure yielding two runs over five innings with six strikeouts in a no-decision.

San Diego is hoping to have shortstop Jason Bartlett back in the lineup tonight after he sat out the past two games with a sore back.