Nick Martinez And Reds Bullpen Shut Down The Angels

 

 

Dateline: 318 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

March 18

Nick Martinez was scheduled for five innings but pitched four scoreless frames and the bullpen of Sam Moll, Tony Santillan, Ian Gibaut and Lyon Richardson followed suit.

The Reds had just six hits but the pitching held strong to break the Reds’ seven-game losing streak with a 1-0 win.

Martinez finished with four innings pitched, allowing one hit. That hit off the bat of Nolan Schanuel was a pop up that Martinez, himself, lost in the sun and the Arizona high skies. He walked three and fanned six. 

“Nick Martinez was really good, now I thought they had some good at bats, a couple really good at bats against him, and worked his pitch count up early in the game,” Francona said.

Martinez has a 2.25 ERA in his five Cactus League games. He was rained out of one start but threw to hitters in the Goodyear development camp in the cage on March 7. He may get one start before facing the San Francisco Giants on March 30, possibly in Dayton on March 25.

Moll, who has struggled this spring, had a three up, three down inning with a strikeout.

“For their sake, It’s good to have a clean inning. It’s good for everybody,” Francona said.

Ian Gibaut pitched in his ninth game of the Cactus League. 

“That was good, man. He had that one outing where he had a little scuffle. He’s holding his stuff. He’s been pretty good,” Francona said.

Santillan pitched one inning. He walked Tim Anderson, but picked him off first. Then he retired the last two hitters he faced. For the spring, Santillan, who is secure in making the opening day roster, has allowed four runs in seven innings as of March 18.

Lyon Richardson pitched two innings, allowing two hits and striking out three. He allowed two runs in his first appearance on February 22 but has pitched eight scoreless innings since. 

The Reds scored their lone run in the third inning off Jose Soriano and muffed a chance for another.

Austin Wynns doubled down the right field line. Blake Dunn, hitting .282 doubled in the same spot. Wynns hesitated around third and was thrown out at the plate. Matt Mclean singled to score Dunn. 

One of the Reds’ Breakout players Ethan O’Donnell threw Kyren Parris out at home plate in the eighth to preserve the slim lead.

Hitting:

McLean (.276) and Gavin Lux (.265) had two hits. Elly De La Cruz (.389) was 0-for-3 and failed to reach base for the first time in his 15 games.