Nick Martinez Throws A No-Hitter For Eight innings Against His Former Team Backed By Spencer Steer's Three Home Runs

 

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

Nick Martinez had a no-hitter through eight innings and Spencer Steer hit three home runs as the Reds dominated the San Diego Padres, 8-1. 

Martinez walked Jackson Merrill with two outs in the first inning, then retired the next 21 batters until Trenton Brooks walked to lead off the ninth. Elias Diaz doubled off the left center field wall to break up the no-hitter.

"I catch myself like everybody else looking at the radar gun. He was crisp from the very beginning and in command of all his pitches," Francona said. "It was a nervous as I've been in a long, long time. They say good things happen to good people from what he did this week, he deserved it."

Martinez volunteered to pitch an inning out of the bullpen this week to allow Brady Singer start on his regular rest.

"I don't know how much it helped him to pitch out of the bullpen but if you try to make it help you, instead of well I've got to do this. He did it for a reason to help the ballclub. If you have your attitude in the right place, it helps."

The Padres held a 2 1/2 game lead over the Reds for the final Wild Card slot.

The Reds got off to a fast start against Dylan Cease. TJ Friedl opened the bottom of the first with a walk. Matt McLain shot a ground single through the hole into right field. McLain moved to second on a error by right fielder Fernando Tatis. Friedl scored on a ground out up the middle by Elly De La Cruz. McLain scored on a passed ball by Martin Maldonado.

Spencer Steer hit his seventh home run in the second inning. Steer led off the fourth with a home run. It is the second time in his career that he hit two home runs in a game.

Left hander Yuki Matsui took over for Cease in the fifth inning. De La Cruz greeted him with a line single to left. Austin Hays just activated from the injured list doubled down the left field line as De La Cruz scored. Gavin Lux singled to score Hays. Steer followed with his third home run of the game.

"How about that? He is so humble he wouldn't come out for a curtain call,' Francona said. "It's pretty cool he's so modest that he doesn't want t one in."

"It's not about me," Steer said. "It was the fifth inning at the time. I got the standing ovation after I struck out. That was pretty cool. I soaked that in. For the first time in my life, I didn't want to walk."

Taylor Rogers came on to pitch to Luis Arraez, the three-time batting champion.Arraez popped out to third and Tyler Wade struck out. Merrill walked. Bryce Johnson walked to break the shutout. Gavin Sheets struck out to end the game.

"It was pretty early. I looked up in the fourth inning and there was no hits. There was some good plays behind me. I talked to myself about one pitch at a time," Martinez said. "I was on adrenaline in the ninth inning. I was jacked up."