Reds shake and stir the Nats behind Martini's two homers, 8-2
March 28, 2024
Reds 8 Nationals 2
Quick notes: Nick Martini homered twice and drove in five. Frankie Montas tossed six shutout innings. The Reds jumped to a 7-0 lead in the 3rd inning and took that to the 7th before the Nats got on the board.
Stirred up: Martini roped a 405 foot 2-run HR in the 2nd and then lasered a 389 foot 3-run HR in the 3rd inning. First Red with two HR on Opening Day since Adam Dunn in 2007. Before that? Adam Dunn 2005. The only other is Frank McCormick, 1941. Not a bad first MLB opening day for the 33-year old that eats RHP for breakfast.
Frankie Montas: 6 IN, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 81 pitches/53 strikes. Not bad after pitching 1.1 ML innings in 2023. His 100th career start. He conducted a clinic that the rest of the rotation had to be taking mental notes on. Soft contact galore. 20 pitches through two innings, 33 through three, 50 in four, 69 in five, 81 in 6. Per Bally Sports Ohio: He’s the first Opening Day starter for the Reds since Frank Pastore in 1980 to pitch at least six innings and not allow a run, walk or extra base hit. Pastore shutout the Braves.
Length in the lineup: The 7-8-9 hitters (Steer-Martini-Stephenson) combined to go 5 for 11, 2B, 2 HR, 4 R, 8 RBI, SB.
I’ve always loved Steer in the 7th spot: 2 H, 2 RBI. RBI single. RBI 2B. He got hit in the jaw flap of his helmet in the 8th, but remained in the game.
Bat, Legs, Arm: Jake Fraley 2 H. He beat out an infield single, stole 2nd and scored on a Steer hit. He also doubled. He also cut down Jesse Winker trying to stretch a single into a 1st inning double.
Leading man: Leadoff hitter Jonathan drew a 1st inning walk and latter singled.
Elly: H, BB, SB, 2 K. He fouled off a first pitch bunt attempt with Fraley running in the 2nd inning. He eventually struck out. Throwing error.
Extra, extra: The Reds collected five extra base hits on the day. 3 2B, 2 HR.
Framed: You can certainly tell Stephenson worked on his pitch framing in the off-season.
Get ‘em Saturday: Jeimer Candelario 0-4 w/ 3 K.
Thieves: 3 SB. Fraley, and Elly and Steer on a double steal.
It’s back: The Viking helmet and cape has returned for 2024.
Bullpen:
Emilio Pagan: 1 IN, 2-run HR
Brent Suter: 2 IN, 4 K
How they scored:
2nd: RBI 1B Steer, 1-0
2nd: 2-run HR Martini, 3-0
3rd: RBI 2B Steer 4-0
3rd: 3-run HR Martini, 7-0
8th: Stephenson FC, RBI, 8-2
Pre-game notes: Bright sunshine and 56 degrees at 1st pitch. De La Cruz got the loudest ovation during introductions. Marlana VanHoose doing the anthem is something special. Sean Casey threw the ceremonial 1st pitch from the rubber, on the fly. Nats starting pitcher Josiah Gray was a 2018 2nd round pick of the Reds. He was part of that big Yasiel Puig/Matt Kemp/Kyle Farmer trade with the Dodgers. Nick Senzel was scratched from the Nats starting lineup after a pregame grounder broke his thumb (per Washington Post). Dang.