SAN DIEGO -- Clayton Richard had a long leash.

"I desperately wanted him to get that last out, get the shutout," Padres manager Andy Green admitted Tuesday night after the veteran left-hander fell one pitch short of throwing the third complete-game shutout of his career.

"He's earned the right to stay out there, he's earned the trust."

Alas, Richard didn't get the shutout.

Cincinnati pinch hitter Tucker Barnhart dropped a two-run double into right on a full-count, two-out pitch in the ninth to end Richard's shutout bid.

But Richard and the Padres still emerged as 6-2 winners at Petco Park as rookie Franchy Cordero led a 12-hit attack with two home runs, one game after he hit the first home run of his major league career.

"Franchy has had good swings since he got here," Green said of the 22-year-old center fielder, who is hitting .327 since being promoted from Triple-A El Paso on May 27 as an injury replacement for Manny Margot. "Those two homers tonight were crushed."

"I'm making sure pitches are in the zone," Cordero said. "I'm getting some good pitches to hit."

Even though Cordero homered twice, the biggest ovations of the night were saved for Richard, who improved to 5-7 while lowering his earned run average to 4.30.

Richard cruised through the first six innings, allowing only two hits and three baserunners with one erased on a double play. But he allowed a two-out walk and single in the seventh, and ran into more trouble in the eighth.

Jose Peraza and pinch hitter Patrick Kivlehan opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Richard struck out Billy Hamilton and Scooter Gennett before walking Joey Votto on a full-count pitch to load the bases. Adam Duvall then hit a slow roller toward third that Cory Spangenberg charged, bare-handed and threw to first to get Duvall by inches and end the inning with the shutout intact.

"Cory's play was awesome," Richard said. "That was a big-time play."

And Richard came within a strike of getting out of a similar jam in the ninth.

After Eugenio Suarez and Scott Schebler singled to open the ninth, Richard struck out Dean Mesoraco and retired Jose Peraza on a flyball to center before Barnhart doubled. Closer Brandon Maurer got the final out.

"I really appreciate the opportunity Green gave me," said Richard, who allowed two runs on eight hits, two walks and a hit batter while striking out six and throwing a season-high 127 pitches in 8 2/3 innings. "We've been using the bullpen a lot. I wanted to go all the way."

"When Clayton is down in the zone and ahead, he can go that low and lower," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "He has that sinker and nice slider. He was able to get ahead with his pitches and didn't get himself in trouble. There wasn't really a whole lot we could do."

Cordero, who hit his first major league homer Monday night against the Reds, connected on solo shots of 420 feet (off Reds starter Scott Feldman) in the third inning and 424 feet (off Tony Cingrani) in the eighth inning. The first homer came on a change, the second on a slider.

The Padres' first four hitters singled and San Diego was up 2-0 before Feldman (5-5) recorded an out.

Jose Pirela and Cordero opened the Padres first with singles to left. Wil Myers dropped a run-scoring hit into short right to make it 1-0 and Yangervis Solarte grounded a single to center to drive in Cordero with the second run.

Feldman righted the ship by getting Hunter Renfroe to ground into a forceout, then got both Spangenberg and Allen Cordoba taking third strikes.

"Baseball is a funny game," Feldman said. "Sometimes you can make great pitches and they have soft contact and they find holes."

"They had four singles on seven pitches and two runs in," Price said. "None of the four was really hit hard, but that's putting the ball in play and making something happen. They were aggressive early in the count."

The Padres upped their lead to 3-0 on Cordero's first homer of the night. It was the 100th home run allowed by Cincinnati pitchers this season.

San Diego added a fourth run in the fifth on a one-out single by Solarte, a wild pitch and a two-out bloop single to short center by Spangenberg as Solarte slid home ahead of the throw by Billy Hamilton.

Feldman departed after five innings, giving up the four runs on eight hits and two walks with six strikeouts.

The Padres added one more run after Cordero's second homer. Austin Hedges singled in the eighth, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single by Pirela.

NOTES: Padres LF Alex Dickerson might not play this season because of recurring lower back problems and could be facing surgery. Dickerson has been on the disabled list since spring training. "He's had another setback," Padres manager Andy Green said. "I'm not optimistic that he plays this year." Dickerson, who had been working out at extended spring training, was projected to hit fourth or fifth in the Padres' order this season. ... Cincinnati SS Zack Cozart didn't play Tuesday because of a sore quad. ... Injured Padres RHPs Trevor Cahill (shoulder inflammation) and Jered Weaver (hip) are throwing bullpens and could face hitters next week ahead of rehab assignments. ... The Reds are 3-12 against left-handed starting pitchers this season, including 1-7 on the road.