Nick Martinez takes no-hitter into ninth as Reds beat Padres
June 28 - Nick Martinez carried a no-hit bid into the ninth inning and Spencer Steer homered in each of his first three at-bats to lift the host Cincinnati Reds to an 8-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday.
After allowing a two-out walk to Jackson Merrill in the first, Martinez (5-8) retired the next 22 batters before issuing a free pass to Trenton Brooks leading off the ninth. Elias Diaz ended the no-hit bid with a double into the left-center field gap, bringing a close to Martinez's night after a career high-tying 112 pitches.
Taylor Rogers entered the game and yielded two walks -- including one to Bryce Johnson with the bases loaded for a run that was charged to Martinez. Rogers, however, struck out two batters in one inning to send the Reds to their fourth win in the last five games.
Martinez, who allowed one run on one hit with six strikeouts, was attempting to record Cincinnati's first no-hitter since Wade Miley accomplished the feat against the Cleveland Guardians on May 7, 2021.
Martinez, a 34-year-old veteran, was back to a starting role after making his prior two appearances in relief. In his four starts prior to his brief bullpen stint, he went 1-3 with an 8.35 ERA.
Cincinnati scratched for a pair of runs in the first inning before Steer flexed his muscles to put the game out of reach.
Steer deposited a 2-2 fastball from Dylan Cease (3-7) over the wall in right-center in the second and led off the fourth by sending a 1-0 slider over the wall in left-center. Austin Hays, making his return from the 10-day injured list due to a left foot contusion, ripped an RBI double and scored a run in the fifth before Steer lined a 1-1 fastball from Yuki Matsui into the left-field seats.
The multi-homer performance was the second for Steer, who went deep twice in the Reds' 6-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Aug. 12, 2024. He has nine homers this season.
Gavin Lux had an RBI single, Matt McLain scored on a passed ball and Elly De La Cruz had two hits for the Reds.
Cease permitted four runs (three earned) on five hits in four innings.
TJ Friedl walked, advanced to third on an error by right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. and scored on a groundout to open the scoring in the first. McLain scored on a passed ball by catcher Martin Maldonado to stake Cincinnati to a 2-0 lead.
--Field Level Media
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
16 minutes ago
- Reuters
Arizona governor signs $500K bill for upgrades to Chase Field
June 28 - The Arizona Diamondbacks' home venue, Chase Field, will be upgraded after Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a bill Friday earmarking $500 million toward renovations. The measure will direct sales tax collected at the Phoenix stadium and nearby buildings, plus taxes from some club employees, to be used for the facility improvements. The Diamondbacks have also pledged $250 million to the project. Hobbs signed the bill in a ceremony attended by Diamondbacks players Corbin Burnes and Corbin Carroll. The governor tweeted, "I'm not going to let Arizona lose the Diamondbacks. Today, I signed a bipartisan deal to keep the @Dbacks in downtown Phoenix -- creating good-paying jobs and making sure families can enjoy baseball for generations. Let's play ball!" Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall told Phoenix's 12News, "We weren't sure what Plan B was going to be if we couldn't fund this building in a renovation. I'm grateful to (Hobbs). She's a supporter. She's a baseball fan, a Diamondbacks fan, and I'm a fan of hers." Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said of the news, "This is an unbelievable measure. This was something that was passed and has been in the works for a long time. ... I'm grateful for everybody making the sacrifice and saying, 'Let's keep the Arizona Diamondbacks in Arizona where they belong.'" Upgrades will be made to Chase Field's retractable roof and to the venue's air conditioning in addition to other infrastructure areas. Attendance is up in Phoenix this year, two seasons after the Diamondbacks won the National League championship before falling to the Texas Rangers in the World Series. Arizona lost another major sports team last year when the NHL's Coyotes moved to Salt Lake City and were renamed the Utah Hockey Club and subsequently the Utah Mammoth. --Field Level Media
The Sun
25 minutes ago
- The Sun
‘Didn't answer' – Ilia Topuria brutally ghosted by Real Madrid legend days before UFC 317 clash vs Charles Oliveira
ILIA TOPURIA doesn't know if Sergio Ramos will be cheering him on at UFC 317 after being GHOSTED by the Real Madrid legend. Former Los Blancos and Spain star Ramos has attended two of Topuria's last three fights. 4 4 4 He had one of the best seats in the house for the Georgian-born Spaniard's incredible KO of Max Holloway at UFC 308 last November. Footie and MMA fans expected Ramos to be in the stands for Topuria's lightweight title tilt against Charles Oliveira on Sunday morning as he's currently stateside with his Monterrey FC team-mates for the Club World Cup. But Topuria is currently in the dark over Ramos' attendance after being brutally left on read by his pal. When asked about Ramos attending the fight, he told Ariel Helwani: 'I don't know I haven't spoken to him in a long time. 'Actually, I texted him and he didn't answer me. 'He's my boy, but he didn't even answer me.' Topuria, 28, will bid to become the tenth two-division champion in UFC history in his vacant lightweight title clash with fan favourite Oliveira in the main event of UFC 317. 4 And he plans to join the illustrious group in devastating and viral fashion. He said: "Charles is a great fighter. "I'd say he's a legendary fighter, one of the few still active in the UFC. "But the truth is that his style fits perfectly with mine to put him to sleep in the first round. "Because he has no mobility, he doesn't move."
The Sun
30 minutes ago
- The Sun
Deontay Wilder floors Tyrrell Herndon twice before seventh-round stoppage in comeback fight
DEONTAY WILDER floored Tyrrell Herndon twice before winning his comeback fight in seven rounds. The former WBC heavyweight world champion returned to the ring in Wichita, Kansas against little-known Herndon. 2 2 And he did so without a win since 2022 - having lost on points to Joseph Parker before a crushing KO defeat to Zhilei Zhang. But Wilder did get back in the win column after dropping Herndon first in round two with a left hook then with a combination in the seventh. He said: "It felt great. Thanks to my opponent, I appreciate the work. "I've been laid off for a long time, getting myself back together, repairing myself emotionally. "It is just nice to be back in the ring. This is a new beginning for me." Nelson Lopez Jr - who promoted Wilder's comeback fight - told SunSport the American's next comeback fight is already pencilled in. And then an anticipated showdown against Anthony Joshua has been targeted for next year. "We have the next one set up, this one set up, nothing solid for the third one - you know how boxing is, there's no path of how you succeed. "We have to get over this, so anything can happen. We got to get over the next one. Anything can happen. "And then, you know maybe Eddie (Hearn) will sit at the table and see what we can do something with AJ."
