The Reds were on the verge of making history twice Friday against the Padres, and former Friar starter Nick Martinez played a big part.
The right-hander was three outs away from becoming the 18th pitcher in Reds franchise history to toss a no-hitter, while first baseman Spencer Steer was one swing away from becoming the second Cincinnati player to homer four times in a game.
Thankfully for the Pads, both Martinez and Steer fell short.
It was still a memorable night at Great American Ball Park as Cincinnati beat San Diego 8-1 for their eighth win in 12 games. The good news for the Friars? June is almost over.
Martinez (5-8) didn’t allow a hit until pinch-hitter Elias Diaz doubled off the left-center field wall in the ninth. He matched his career high with 112 pitches and struck out six.
Martinez, who parted ways with the Padres after the 2023 season, retired 22 straight batters between a walk in the first inning and another to Trenton Brooks to start the ninth.
It was the longest no-hit bid against the Padres since Arizona’s Tyler Gilbert completed the feat on Aug. 14, 2021.
It was a far cry from Martinez’s last start on June 19, when he allowed seven earned runs in 2 2/3 innings in a 12-5 loss to the Twins. His next two appearances came in relief, tossing three scoreless innings.
“My last start, focus wasn’t quite there, got shelled, which isn’t fun,” the 34-year-old said. “Coming out of the pen allowed me to simplify things. It definitely helped me tonight.”
Martinez came within three outs of the first no-hitter by a Reds pitcher since Wade Miley on May 7, 2021, in a 3-0 win at Cleveland.
“Hat’s off to Nick, he’s a tough competitor, man, pitched us really tough,” manager Mike Shildt said.
Padre starter Dylan Cease, though, had a rough night, thanks to Steer, who homered in the second inning and again in the fourth off him. Steer then hit a two-run homer in the fifth off lefty Yuki Matsui. He came to bat leading off the eighth, but David Morgan struck him out on a 3-2 pitch.
“With the score being 8-0 and it being the eighth inning, I can say that for the first time in my life, I didn’t want to walk,” Steer said. “I was trying to give myself a chance to hit a fourth. You never know how many opportunities you’ll get at that.”
It’s the first career three-homer game for Steer, who has nine homers this season.
“I’ve seen four homers in this ballpark and I didn’t want to see it again,” said Shildt.
The only other Reds player to go deep four times in a game was Scooter Gennett on June 6, 2017, against the Cardinals, also at Great American Ball Park.
The possibility of a no-hitter and a four-homer game on the same night seemed unlikely, until Friday.
“That would have been one hell of a night,” Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson said.
The teams meet again at 1:10 p.m. Saturday, the second game of the Padres’ six-game trip.
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