SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — Samad Taylor drove in three runs, including a go-ahead single in the seventh inning and a two-run single in the eighth, as the San Diego Padres rallied past the Cincinnati Reds 6-2 on Monday night at PETCO Park.

The Padres improved to 34-31 with their second win in three games, while the Reds dropped to 31-34, their fourth consecutive loss. Attendance was 37,223, and the game lasted 2 hours, 48 minutes.

Cincinnati took an early lead but could not hold it. The Reds manufactured a run in the fifth inning to tie the game and added another in the sixth to go ahead. But San Diego’s bullpen held firm, and the Padres’ offense erupted for two runs in the seventh and three in the eighth.

Reds starter Andrew Abbott (4-4) turned in a solid outing through six innings but was pulled after allowing just one run on a solo home run. He struck out six and walked two. Padres starter Walker Buehler worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run on eight hits while striking out four. Adrian Morejon (5-1) got the win with a scoreless seventh inning.

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the third. Padres catcher Freddy Fermin launched a solo home run to left-center field, his third of the season, giving San Diego a 1-0 lead. The Reds answered in the fifth. With one out, JJ Bleday hit a ground-rule double to right-center field. Sal Stewart followed with a single to center, scoring Bleday to tie the game 1-1.

Cincinnati grabbed the lead in the sixth. Noelvi Marte led off with a single to left, moved to third on a flyout by Matt McLain and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Edwin Arroyo. The Reds led 2-1.

The Padres tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. Xander Bogaerts led off with a ground-rule double to left-center. Gavin Sheets followed with a sharp line-drive double to left, scoring Bogaerts to make it 2-2. Jase Bowen then laid down a bunt single to put runners at the corners. Taylor dropped a bunt single to first base, allowing Sheets to score and giving San Diego a 3-2 lead. A fielding error by Reds pitcher Tejay Antone on a sacrifice bunt by Fermin loaded the bases, but the Padres could not add more, leaving the bases full.

San Diego broke the game open in the eighth. Bogaerts singled to left with one out. After a flyout, Bowen singled to center, sending Bogaerts to third. Taylor then lined a single to left, scoring both Bogaerts and Bowen for a 5-2 lead. Fermin followed with a single to center, plating Taylor to make it 6-2.

Reds relievers Tejay Antone and others could not contain the Padres’ late surge. San Diego’s bullpen combination of Morejon, Mason Miller and Jason Adam shut down Cincinnati over the final 2 1/3 innings. Miller struck out three in a perfect eighth, and Adam fanned three in a spotless ninth.

For the Padres, Taylor finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Bogaerts also had two hits, including a double. Sheets went 1-for-4 with an RBI. For the Reds, Stewart had a hit and a walk, and Bleday doubled and scored. Cincinnati managed nine hits but left seven runners on base.

The Reds had a chance to add to their lead in the fifth after Stewart’s RBI single, but Buehler escaped further damage. After Nathaniel Lowe singled, Eugenio Suárez lined out to left field to end the inning. In the sixth, Cincinnati loaded the bases with two outs but Blake Dunn grounded into a forceout.

San Diego’s defense also contributed. In the second inning, left fielder Taylor threw out Matt McLain at home plate on a fly ball to left, ending the inning and preserving the scoreless tie.

The game featured three successful challenges. In the third, Reds batter Nathaniel Lowe was called out on strikes after a pitch review. In the fifth, Padres batter Samad Taylor was called out on strikes following a challenge. In the eighth, Reds batter Matt McLain drew a walk after a challenge overturned a strike call. In the ninth, Reds batter Blake Dunn was called out on strikes after a challenge confirmed the call.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cincinnati 3, San Diego 1. Interstat’s ELO system gave San Diego a 59.00 percent probability to win. The Padres were installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total of eight runs went under the over-under line of 7.5.