Nick Martini hit two home runs and drove in five runs in his first ever opening game appearance at the age of 33. The Reds performed capitol punishment on the Washington Nationals with a 8-2 win.
Martini has been in professional baseball since 2011 when the St. Louis Cardinals drafted him in the seventh round. He victimized former Reds' prospect Josiah Gray with a two-run home run in the second inning and a three-run blow in the third.
"He (Martini) showed how he could hit last year," manager David Bell said. "It is kind of surprising that it took so long. He has been a good player for a long time. Everyone knows he can hit."
Martini is the first Reds' player to hit two home runs on opening day since Adam Dunn hit two against the Chicago Cubs on April 2, 2007.
"I don't know if I can describe the feelings about my first opening day, honestly," Martini said. "I felt how loud it got after the first home run. The first at bat I had so much adrenaline. I don't think it fully hit me yet. My family was able to be here. It was everything coming together at once."
The left-handed bat off the bench batting eighth followed the first of Spencer Steer's two hits, an RBI single with a line drive into the right field bleachers. Jake Fraley had two hits and scored on Steer's single.
Fraley doubled in the the third. Elly De La Cruz walked. Steer doubled in Fraley. Martini delivered another line drive into the stands in right.
Frankie Montas delivered six scoreless inning in his first real action since 2022. Shoulder ailments limited him to one game with the New York Yankees last season. He allowed four singles and walked no one, while striking out six.
It was Montas' 100th game and came on his 10th wedding anniversary.
"There were a lot of emotions after the tough year I had last year," Montas said. "One of the things I love about this game is the competition. I know what I can do when I'm healthy so I'm not concerned about proving myself."
Nick Krall signed Montas and his relief help Emilio Pagan over the off-season. Eddie Rosario hit a two-run home run off Pagan in the seventh to put the Nationals on the scoreboard.
Moeller High School grad, Brent Suter, struck out the side in his Reds' debut in the eighth inning. He finished the game with two scoreless innings. He struck out Joey Gallo to end the game.
"That is his role," said Bell who like Suter is a Moeller grad. "He is efficient. He gives us length. He just throws strikes. I was thinking about him being from here the whole time. I asked him if he had anyone coming to the game."
"It was surreal, getting the ball on opening day. I have never pitched in an opening game," said Suter who has been in the big leagues since 2016. "It took more pitches than I would like but no one got on base."
"This was my dream to pitch here. My family got to be here. I've been a Reds' fan all my life but have never been to an opening game."
De La Cruz singled in the eighth. Steer was hit by a pitch from Tanner Rainey. They pulled off a double steal. De La Cruz scored on a fielder's choice from Tyler Stephenson, who was credited with the RBI.
No comments:
Post a Comment