Padres 3, Reds 2

SAN DIEGO - A bases-loaded walk issued by Reds starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo in the bottom of the ninth inning Wednesday handed the Padres a 3-2 victory before 23,856 fans at Petco Park.
“Watching it on replay, it could’ve been borderline high,” Reds catcher David Ross said. “It’s the little things that beat us tonight. It can’t come down to that last pitch.”
A pair of singles kicked off the ninth inning and the Padres loaded the bases on catcher Josh Bard’s groundball to the mound. Arroyo fielded the ball and threw low to third baseman Ryan Freel, who was unable to secure the errant throw for a force out.
“I rushed it a smidge because I wasn’t sure how quick the guy was running,” Arroyo said. “Freel was coming from kind of a deep position and that kind of made it worse because he couldn’t get in front of the bag before I threw it. I threw him a sinker that was just too low.”
Padres third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff followed and with the bases loaded and a full count held off swinging at Arroyo’s pitch that home plate umpire Ed Rapuano called ball four.
The walk forced Padres shortstop Khalil Greene in from third base to score the game-winning run.
“I was looking for the, ‘Ha! Ha!’” Arroyo said, “and I didn’t see anything and oh, (no), the game was over.”
The Reds have lost five of the first six games on a nine-game road trip that wraps up with a three-game series against the Indians starting Friday in Cleveland. Wednesday’s loss also was the 12th in their past 15 games.
“I don’t know if I’ve even got words for it,” Ross said. “I’m so mad for Bronson to pitch like he did and us not win.”
Arroyo threw 129 pitches and allowed one earned run on 10 hits, struck out six and walked two.
The Padres tied the game at two in the seventh inning with a run-scoring single by Kouzmanoff. Mike Cameron was on first and was approaching third when Reds left fielder Adam Dunn tried to field the ball and prevent a run.
“It just took kind of a side hop and just kicked over my glove,” Dunn said. “I don’t know. That’s all it did.”
The ball rolled to the left field wall and Cameron scored easily. Dunn was charged with an error.
“I’m sure he would have held up,” Dunn said. “Bronson pitched his (butt) off and some stupid (stuff) like that happens.”