Nick Martini came off the bench to hit a tying three-run home run in the eighth inning, Christian Encarnación-Strand drove in Elly De La Cruz in the ninth and the Cincinnati Reds came from behind for a 7-6 win over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night.
“I wish there was a secret sauce,” Martini said. “Pinch hitting is tough. I can’t say it’s the easiest thing to do. You just try to put a good at bat together and try to get the barrel on the ball. That’s basically all I’m trying to do when I pinch hit. Fortunately, that one had enough on it to get up.”
Julio Rodríguez hit two home runs for the Mariners (77-61), who have lost three straight for the first time since Aug. 12-14. The Mariners are a game behind the Astros and a game ahead of the Rangers in the AL West after Houston’s 14-1 win over Texas on Tuesday night.
De La Cruz led off the ninth with an infield hit, stole second and scored with a head-first slide on Encarnación-Strand’s single to right.
©2023 Cox Media Group
