Renfroe’s pinch-hit slam powers Padres past Reds

Hunter Renfroe SAN DIEGO — couldn’t help but admire his pinch-hit, go-ahead grand slam as it flew toward the brick warehouse in the leftfield corner at Petco Park. He held his bat out with his left hand for a moment before flipping it and beginning his trot.

“I knew it was gone as soon as I hit it, so I was thinking, ‘Get around the bases without falling,’” Renfroe said after his slam lifted pitcher Tyson Ross and the San Diego Padres to a 6-3 victory against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

The Padres took two of three in the matchup of lastplace teams. This series victory came after the Padres took three of four from the NL’s other last-place team, the Miami Marlins.

Batting for Ross, Renfroe drove a 1-2 pitch from Luis Castillo off the second deck of the Western Metal Supply Co. Building to give the Padres a 4-2 lead with one out in the fifth inning. It was Renfroe’s third career grand slam, first for the Padres this season and his first career pinch homer. It was the third homer for Renfroe, who came off the disabled list Monday after more than a month (inflamed right elbow).

Castillo had loaded the bases on singles by Franmil Reyes and Freddy Gal- vis, and a walk to Manuel Margot. Reyes was forced at home on Raffy Lopez’s dribbler before Renfroe’s slam.

Ross (5-3) gave up two runs and seven hits in five innings, struck out three and walked two. He’s won three straight decisions, over four starts. He allowed Eugenio Suarez’s leadoff homer to left in the second, his 11th, and Scooter Gennett’s RBI single in the fifth.

With the Padres leading 5-2, Green had closer Brad Hand face the heart of the Reds’ order in the eighth, including lefty-hitting Joey Votto and Gennett. Votto, who had three hits, struck out, but Hand then allowed a homer to Gennett, his 12th. Suarez struck out, Adam Duvall singled and Jose Peraza flied out.

Cory Spangenberg homered for San Diego in the eighth.

Kirby Yates pitched the ninth for his first save. Votto came up with two on and two outs but grounded out to end it.

Ca s til l o (4 - 6 ) allowed four runs and six hits in 4⅔ innings, struck out three and walked one.

Lopez hit an RBI single in the sixth.