Hunter Renfroe homers in 4th straight game as Padres win

MILWAUKEE — Hunter Renfroe’s power surge is a welcome sight for the San Diego Padres.

Renfroe’s grand slam keyed a six-run rally that stunned the Milwaukee Brewers and gave the Padres an 8-4 victory on Thursday.

Renfroe hit a home run for the fourth straight game, a blast into the left-field bleachers off Brewers reliever Joakim Soria. San Diego entered the ninth inning trailing 4-2, but rallied against Brewers closer Corey Knebel and Soria.

The Padres finished 4-3 on their Midwest road trip as they split four games with the Chicago Cubs and won two of three against the Brewers.

“Part of it is guys clicking at the right time. Part of it is guys just saying, ‘Enough was enough. It’s time to go play winning baseball,’” Padres manager Andy Green said.

Knebel walked the bases loaded to open the ninth and gave up an infield single to Travis Jankowski, trimming Milwaukee’s lead to 4-3. Soria induced a flyout from Eric Hosmer and had a 1-2 count on Renfroe before the Padres left fielder turned on an inside pitch.

Renfroe did not chase an 0-2 pitch that just missed the strike zone.

“It was a great pitch; it was off the plate,” Renfroe said. “He dropped down a little bit. I was able to lay off it and I was able to get a pitch I could handle on the next pitch and drive it out of the ballpark.”

Franmil Reyes capped the six-run outburst with a solo homer to right field off Jacob Barnes.

Knebel (2-3) did not retire any of the four hitters he faced in the ninth.

“Couldn’t throw a strike,” Knebel said. “That was it. Nothing else going on. I just couldn’t find the zone.”