Getting healthy has helped Yonder Alonso to start swinging a hot bat and Matt Kemp has picked things up by tweaking his swing.
Alonso and Kemp look to keep the visiting San Diego Padres rolling and extend their longest winning streak of the season Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds.
Alonso missed nearly a month with a bone bruise in his right shoulder, but he's clearly put that behind him. The first baseman is 8 for 15 with six RBIs and four runs in four games since returning after going 7 for 32 (.219) in his previous 10.
His best effort came Saturday when he hit a tying grand slam in the seventh inning of a 9-7 win at Cincinnati, giving San Diego a four-game winning streak.
"I was hoping I'd get lucky and something would fall," said Alonso, who matched his season high with three hits to increase his season average 23 points to .363. "I was just trying to keep the rally going."
Kemp capped it with a two-run single in the eighth Saturday to finish with a season-high five RBIs after hitting a solo homer and a double. He's 6 for 12 in three games after making some changes to his swing recently.
"The intent to do some damage and turn the bat loose - we've seen more of that," manager Bud Black said. "He's been more aggressive in swinging at balls in the strike zone."
Facing the Reds (23-31) may also be helping since Kemp is a career .331 hitter against them, while Alonso has a .343 average.
The Padres (29-28) have won six straight against Cincinnati for the first time since taking 10 in a row from 1998-99.
Odrisamer Despaigne (3-3, 4.56 ERA) was supposed to face the Reds for the first time Saturday, but was pushed back in order to get some extra rest after allowing one run in eight innings of last Sunday's 7-1 win over Pittsburgh. It was the longest outing of his two-year career and longest by a Padres pitcher this season.
It also came five days after he went six innings in a 4-0 win in 10 innings over the Los Angeles Angels following a four-game stretch - three starts - in which he went 0-3 with a 12.06 ERA. Like Kemp, the right-hander's recent improvement stems from a suggestion to simplify his approach.
"He has gotten back to being the aggressor," Black said. "I think he has gotten back to setting the tone with fastball strike. ... (pitching coach Darren Balsley) and I have talked to him about being less of a trickster and more of a pitcher."
The Reds, losers of four of five, are turning to Johnny Cueto (3-4, 2.90) for the second time since he missed two starts with elbow inflammation. The right-hander allowed two runs - one earned - in six innings while not factoring into the decision of a 5-4 loss at Philadelphia on Tuesday.
"It doesn't feel 100 percent yet, but it's progressing. I'm getting better," Cueto told MLB's official website. "Not really in the elbow situation. Thank God, I feel great ... It's just about being ready and being back in shape."
Cueto may be looking forward to a return home, where he's continued his success from last season by compiling a 1.55 ERA in four starts. However, he has a 1-1 record since the bullpen has blown saves in two games.
He's 11-2 with a 1.59 ERA in his past 15 starts at Great American Ball Park and tossed a three-hitter in a 5-0 win over visiting San Diego on May 15, 2014.
