San Diego Rookie Wrecks Reds

Rookie Francisco Mejia and Hunter Renfroe combined to lift the San Diego Padres over the Reds and Luis Castillo, 6-2.

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Mejia, a trade deadline acquisition from the Cleveland Indians, hit the first two home runs of his Major League career.  His first was a solo, opposite field home run in the third inning of his first big league start.  It was the 17th at bat of his career and fourth this season.  Mejia hit a three-run home run off Castillo in the fourth.

Castillo and Mejia live near each other in the Dominican Republic and work out together occasionally.  Castillo has faced Mejia in spring training.

"I knew he was a good hitter," Castillo said.  "Tucker and I had a plan today but they won the battle."

"I'm really happy," Mejia said. "I felt really good in all of my at bats. I was looking for a good pitch to hit. I'm sure he was trying to get ahead of me in the count."

Renfroe hit his 20th home run, a solo shot, with one out in the fourth.  Renfroe on defense threw Jose Peraza out trying to stretch a first inning single into a double.  He made a diving catch that rescued rookie left-hander Eric Lauer from a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth.

"Castillo threw a couple balls in some bad spots," Jim Riggleman said.  "The catcher for them (Mejia) is really a fine hitter.  We gave him a couple fastballs and he didn't miss them."

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Lauer gave off a leadoff single to Peraza and walked Joey Votto and Eugenio Suarez  to load the bases with no one out.  Lauer, an Elyria, Ohio native, struck out Phil Ervin and Scott Schebler to bring up Dilson Herrera.  Herrera hit a line fly to left that Renfroe dived to make an inning ending catch.

Lauer, who is returning from a strained left elbow injury, finished four innings allowing two hits and three walks, while recording eight strikeouts.

Robert Stock took over for San Diego in the fifth.

Blake Trahan hit for Castillo in the fifth.

Castillo pitched five innings, allowing five runs, two were earned due to an error by Peraza.  He gave up five hits but three were home runs.  Castillo has allowed 27 home runs in 28 starts this season.  He struck out seven.

The Reds have three pitchers in the top 10 for home runs allowed.  Castillo is third.  Matt Harvey and Homer Bailey have allowed 23. The Reds as a staff have allowed 204, including tonight.  The staff that has allowed the next highest total is Washington with 175 coming into play Thursday.

"It's the story of out staff.  It's not just Luis. We just give up way too many homers," Riggleman said.  "Some of it is a product of playing in our ballpark but for the most part, we just absolutely have to find a way to keep the ball in the ballpark. We have to make guys put several hits together to beat you instead of popping one.  That's our challenge moving forward and through the winter.  We have to find a way for these guys to get better or get different guys to do it."

Matt Wisler took over for the Reds.

Wilser gave up a run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Luis Urias.

Schebler put the Reds on the scoreboard with a home run off Trey Wingenter in the bottom of the seventh.  It is Schebler's 14th of the season.  Two out later Mason Williams hit his second home run of the season.  It was the first pinch hit home run of his career.