CINCINNATI -- San Diego's struggling Tyson Ross saw Friday the team he needed to see.

Ross, whose last two decisions were losses, took a step toward getting back on track against the Cincinnati Reds, a team against which he's never lost. Will Venable, Will Middlebrooks and Derek Norris all hit solo home runs in support of the right-hander as the Padres picked up their fourth win in their last five games, 6-2 over the Reds before a crowd of 33,381 in the opener of a three-game series.

Every San Diego starter except Ross logged at least one hit in a balanced attack.

"It starts with pitching and defense, and that's what we were able to do," said Yonder Alonso, who drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in the first run. "Today was one of those days when we were clicking on all cylinders. It was just fun to watch and fun to play."

Joey Votto drove in the only two runs for the Reds, who've lost three out of their last four games after sweeping NL East-leading Washington last weekend. They were forced to send out yet another rookie making his major league debut, right-hander Jon Moscot, after Raisel Iglesias was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique.

Moscot (0-1) is the fourth rookie to start this season for the Reds and third to make his major league debut.

"I could've told you before the game that he would have more on his plate in this start than he will in his next one," Cincinnati manager Bryan Price said. "It's his major league debut. He's a Southern California kid. He's seen these guys on TV, and now he's facing them. I thought he managed the game well after the first inning. He had much better command. He attacked the zone. All in all, I thought he rallied well. I liked his stuff."

Ross (3-5) didn't return after rain delayed the top of the sixth for 69 minutes with the Padres having opened up a 5-2 lead on Cory Spangenberg's single and Alexi Amarista's double. Ross allowed five hits and two runs with three walks and seven strikeouts.

"I was definitely hoping to continue after that," Ross said. "After 30 minutes of the delay, Bud told me, 'You're done for the day.' I was hoping to wait it out."

Norris, who went into the game leading National League catchers with 34 runs batted in, added one with his sixth homer of the season, a 378-foot drive into the left field seats on a 1-0 pitch from right-hander Pedro Villareal with one out in the seventh inning.

Ross was 0-2 over his last three starts, but he was 3-0 with a 0.72 ERA and 24 strikeouts with just nine walks in 25 innings over four career appearances, including three starts, against the Reds. Cincinnati batters had logged a combined .145 average against him, and he was 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two starts against the Reds at Great American Ball Park.

The Padres went into the game leading the National League with 40 first-inning runs, and they wasted no time padding their total against the inexperienced Moscot. San Diego loaded the bases with one out on a walk and two ground-ball singles. Moscot walked Alonso to force in one run and Middlebrooks followed with a sacrifice fly.

"Before the game, if I had told you I wasn't nervous, I would've been lying," said Moscot, who threw 37 pitches in his first major league inning while pitching in front of his parents and two younger brothers who flew in from California. "The guys were telling me that I belonged here and all that, but that third deck took over a little bit. I wasn't pitching my game. I wasn't attacking, and I was trying to be too fine. I made the adjustment.

"After throwing 37 pitches, it was good to be able to at least get five innings."

"The patience was the key," Padres manager Bud Black said. "I think we were just patient. It wasn't by design or to see what he had or to wait him out. We just had good at-bats. Eventually he got some balls up."

The