Dateline: Cincinnati
Brandon Williamson’s goal is to beat former teammate Nick Martinez to turn in the Reds third road sweep of the season and second in a row. A win means a clean 6-0 sweep on the trip for the Big Road Machine.
Williamson, who had a sterling performance for his home state team, the Minnesota Twins, on April 17. Williamson worked 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits. He walked four which prevented him from going deeper in the game. Connor Phillips bailed him out in the 2-1 Reds win.
Williamson has never faced Tampa Bay.
Nick Martinez, a Reds unsung hero from the last two seasons, will make his first start against the Reds since signing a free agent contact with the Rays.
Reds’ manager Terry Francona praised Martinez for moving from the bullpen to starting and back as the Reds needed.
The 35-year old right hander was the sixth round pick in the 2011 draft out of Fordham University.
Martinez appeared in 40 games, 26 starts with an 11-14 record and a 4.45 ERA. He was 10-10 with a 1-4 record and 2.71 ERA in 16 bullpen appearances, eating 20 1/3 innings.
So far in 2026, Martinez has four starts with an 0-1 record and 2.45 ERA.
He is 1-0 in four lifetime appearances, including one start against the Reds with a 4.00 ERA.
In his last start he allowed two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings on eight hits and three walks in a 5-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
When Rays manager, Kevin Cash, asked his mentor, Terry Francona about Martinez, Francona said, “You’re going to love the guy.”
Cash replied, “I already do.”
Both sets of Martinez grandparents are from Cuba. His paternal grandfather had to flee Castro. Click on the link below for the story.
https://fullofschatz.blogspot.com/2026/03/cuban-refugees-grandson-is-successful.html
The Reds lineup is:
TJ Friedl CF
Matt McLain 2B
Elly De La Cruz SS
Sal Stewart 1B
Eugenio Suarez 3B
Nathaniel Lowe DH
Spencer Steer LF
Will Benson RF
P.J. Higgins C
The Rays lineup attempting to avoid the sweep is:
Yandy Diaz DH
Jonathan Aranda 1B
Junior Caminero 3B
Ryan Vilade RF
Jonny DeLuca CF
Ben Williamson 2B
Chandler Simpson LF
Nick Fortes C
Taylor Walls SS
Vilade spent most of the 2025 season in the Reds’s Triple A Louisville. He appeared in one game in a Reds uniform but did not get an at bat.
Ben Williamson pitched the ninth innng for the Rays on Tuesday, giving up Elly De La Cruz’ eighth home run.
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