On Saturday night, Cincinnati Reds manager Tito Francona made a big ask: “Can you be our stopper tonight? Can you slip back into the rotation after we put you in the bullpen and end this three-game losing streak?”
Of course he can. Of course he did.
With Nick Lodolo on the injured list, Martinez was his replacement and he pitched his heart out — seven innings, one run, four hits, two walks, four strikeouts.
And because of Martinez, the Reds ended that three-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in PNC Park.
Nobody labels Martinez as an ‘ace,’ but the Reds have won the last five games he started.
And despite their three-game losing streak that ended Saturday, the Reds crept to within 2 1/2 games of the New York Mets for the final wild card spot.
How do you win a game when your so-called offense goes 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position? How do you win a game when your team strikes out 11 times?
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
You win with Nick Martinez pitching, probably the most underappreciated and unheralded pitcher on the Reds staff, except inside the clubhouse.
“We expected that,” Reds’ closer Emilio Pagan told reporters after the game, talking about Martinez. “He is an unbelievable teammate and obviously loves the moment. He is an awesome competitor and wants to win at all costs. We felt good having him on the mound tonight.”
So does Francona.
“It is funny, because D.J. (pitching coach Derek Johnson) said he didn’t warm up great,” Francona told reporters. “Then he pitched pretty damn good. He was throwing the ball really well.
“I don’t know that you can put a stat on him, but I don’t really care,” he added. “It’s valuable, just having him on the ball club, his attitude, the way he goes about his business. It’s what you’re looking for.”
Martinez constantly says he just wants to win a championship and said, “Whatever I can do to help us win. Champagne showers are a lot of fun.”
The Pirates put their leadoff runner on base in the first three innings but produced only one run out of it. Number nine hitter Jared Triolo opened the third with a catchable ball to right field.
But Noelvi Marte took a staggering route back toward the wall and stopped several feet short of the barrier and the ball one-hopped it for a gratuitous double. He scored on Tommy Pham’s sacrifice fly.
And that was it. No more.
The Reds tied it, 1-1, in the fourth on Spencer Steer’s single and Marte’s double, making up for his defensive faux pas.
And Marte more than atoned for the misplay by leading the seventh with another double (he had three doubles). He moved to third on Ke’Bryan Hayes’ grounder to second.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
The Pirates brought in left-hander Ryan Borucki to face TJ Friedl. Left-handers are hitting .090 against Borucki. Friedl didn’t get a hit, but he hit a fly ball deep enough to right field to score Marte on a sacrifice fly for the go-ahead run.
So it was 2-1 in the eighth inning, just as it was Friday night when Tony Santillan gave up two runs and the Reds lost, 3-2. Was it going to be a rinse-and-repeat type of game?
This time Santillan issued a two-out walk, but retired Reds’ killer Bryan Reynolds to preserve the 2-1 lead.
“Tony has been doing this long enough that he’s going to be OK,” said Francona. “He was p.o.’d last night. He takes it very personal. I was thrilled that we had almost the same exact scenario. I was glad we could give him the ball. I do think that was important for him.”
So it was up to closer Emilio Pagan to do just that, close it out. He didn’t make it easy on himself when he opened the ninth by walking Oneil Cruz on a full count.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Cruz leads the majors with 34 steals in 38 attempts, but Pagan made certain he never budged while Andrew McCutchen flied out to deep left and Nick Gonzales lined a laser that shortstop Elly De La Cruz snagged and ripped a throw to first to double off Cruz and end the game.
It was Pagan’s 25th save, eighth in a row.
“I was fired up,” Pagan said of his appearance. “I was working pretty hard to keep Cruz on first, not let him steal second. I was trying to be quick to the plate.
“The pitch that Gonzales hit (for the double play) was a little more up in the zone than I wanted it but when you got a cheetah at shortstop that can make plays like that... that’s pretty cool,” Pagan added.
The Pirates have now played 47 one-run games, most in MLB, and have lost 26. The Reds are 15-16 in one-run games and it was their 28th come-from-behind win.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
“All games are important, but I kinda thought we had to get up off the mat tonight,” said Pagan. “The first two games in Chicago we came out strong. For whatever reason it hasn’t been easy for us the last three days.”
Want a reason? The Reds are 1 for 25 with runners in scoring position the last four games and they’ve scored five runs in those four games.
“We had to pick ourselves back up and we’ve done it all year, showed fight all year,” said Pagan. “Tonight was just an example of that and now we have to string four or five together, go on a run.”
NEXT GAME
Who: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
When: 1:35 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 10
TV: FanDuel Sports
Radio: 1410-AM, 700-AM
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