Tuesday night's 4-2 win at the San Diego Padres gave the visiting Cincinnati Reds the victory they desperately needed and also allowed them to gain a game in their quest for the National League's last wild-card spot.

If the Reds are to win the rubber match of the three-game series in San Diego, they might need Andrew Abbott to get back to the first-half form that earned him an All-Star spot.

Abbott (8-6, 2.88 ERA) was 8-1 with a 2.07 ERA at the break and had allowed only 21 earned runs. In nine starts after the break, he's 0-5 and has coughed up 25 earned runs, continuing a pattern of second-half fades in his three-year career.

Cincinnati manager Terry Francona said he discussed the issue with pitching coach Derek Johnson.

"I asked DJ that and he said he's held his stuff much better th

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