Choo, Ludwick and Votto Homer as Leake Deals in Reds Win

The Reds couldn't hit former mate Edinson Volquez but knew they could wait him out.

Volquez didn't allow a hit until there was one out in the fifth inning when Shin-Soo Choo hit an opposite field home run to put the Reds on the scoreboard in its 7-3 win over San Diego.

After Volquez left, the Reds abused the Padre bullpen. Choo singled and Joey Votto doubled Choo to thirdbase in the seventh against Tommy Layne.  Ryan Ludwick came into the game hitting .208 but he walked against Volquez and singled coming into the seventh.

Ludwick blasted a pitch from Layne smashing open the 1-1 game.  Votto followed Brandon Phillips' RBI single with an opposite field home run off Dale Thayer in the ninth.

Votto walked twice against Volquez, reaching base four times in five at-bats.  He was robbed of a single on a nice play by Padre secondbaseman Jed Gyorko in his other at-bat.


"We got home runs but it starts with good pitching," Baker said. "It keeps you in the game until you hit the home runs. Leake had it going on today. He and Mesoraco were on the same page. He kept the ball down. He didn't have any walks. That's the key. We want to win (innings) 7,8,9. I mean they can win one through six but we want to win seven, eight, and nine."


Mike Leake, who retained his start in the rotation when the Reds decided to leave Aroldis Chapman in the closer's role, pitched six strong innings for Reds, giving up one run and five hits. He struck out four and walked none.

 "It was a good tuneup. I was keeping the ball down," Leake said. "I was able to change speed and working well with Mes (Devin Mesoraco). It was a longer spring this year. It will be nice to get out there and get going."

Jose Arredondo pitched a scoreless inning, giving him eight this spring in which he has allowed just one run (1.12 ERA).  Jonathan Broxton pitched 1/3 of an inning.  He was taken out with two men on in the seventh after he reached his pitch count. It was the first time he had gone back-to-back days this spring.

Arredondo and Logan Ondrusek are among the last of the candidates to open the season in the Reds' bullpen.  Ondrusek gave up a two-run home run to Dean Anna in the ninth inning.

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