Nick Martini belted a pinch-hit three-run, game-tying homer in the eighth and Christian Encarnacion-Strand singled home Elly De La Cruz in the ninth as the Cincinnati Reds rallied for a 7-6 win over the visiting Seattle Mariners on Tuesday.
For Martini, it was his second game-tying homer in the last four days and the Reds erased a 5-1 deficit for their 44th come-from-behind win.
De La Cruz reached on an infield hit off reliever and loser Andres Munoz (3-7) to open the ninth. De La Cruz stole second and then scored on Encarnacion-Strand’s single to right.
Reds closer Alexis Diaz (8-4) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the win.
Julio Rodriguez continued his torrid post-All Star run with two homers for the Mariners, who lost for the fifth time in seven games after surging into first in the AL West.
Rookie Noelvi Marte had three hits, including his first career homer, for the Reds, who improved to 5-15 all time against the Mariners, including 3-8 at home.
With four pitchers on the COVID injury list, the Reds were forced to start 22-year-old right-hander Connor Phillips, the second pitcher in four days to make his major league debut.
The Reds put the leadoff man on in each of the first three innings against Seattle starter Bryce Miller. In all three innings, the three leadoff runners were retired on the bases, twice caught stealing by Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh.
The Mariners jumped out to a 2-0 lead against Phillips in the first inning. After J.P. Crawford grounded out and Rodriguez struck out, Raleigh walked before Teoscar Hernandez extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a 411-foot homer to center.
Hernandez also ran his on-base streak to 20 games with his 25th homer, temporarily tying him for the team lead with Rodriguez and Raleigh.
Rodriguez reclaimed the lead with a towering three-run homer off Phillips in the fifth, putting the Mariners ahead, 5-1.
Encarnacion-Strand opened the sixth with his sixth homer, a drive to the seats in left. Two outs later, Marte went deep, a line drive to the third row of seats in left.
Marte’s homer gave the Reds 54 homers by rookies, matching the previous club record set in 2008.
Rodriguez opened the seventh with his second homer of the night off reliever Derek Law to put the Mariners back up three, 6-3.
–Field Level Media