Tyler Stephenson had three hits, five RBIs and scored three times Friday to help the Cincinnati Reds take an 8-3 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a three-game series.
Cincinnati starting pitcher Nick Martinez (10-6) threw six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out nine without walking a batter.
After giving the Reds (75-80) a 1-0 lead with a first-inning solo shot to center field, Stephenson helped pad the lead in the third as the hosts batted around.
Will Benson and Jonathan India each walked to open the inning, and Elly De La Cruz followed with a single to load the bases with nobody out. Stephenson then doubled to left to bring in all three runners, putting Cincinnati ahead 4-0. Ty France added a sacrifice fly three batters later to make it 5-0.
Pirates starter Mitch Keller (11-11) continued to struggle in the fourth. After Benson lined out to open the inning, India mashed a slider 425 feet to left-center field to extend the lead to 6-0. De La Cruz then drew Keller’s fifth walk of the game, matching the most the right-hander has allowed since July 8, 2023.
De La Cruz stole second and scored the Reds’ seventh run when Stephenson knocked a single to right field. Spencer Steer followed with a double, spelling the end of Keller’s outing.
TJ Friedl reached on a fielder’s choice in the first at-bat against reliever Joey Wentz, scoring Stephenson to make it 8-0.
Keller’s final tally tagged him with eight runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings. He walked five and fanned one.
The Pirates (72-82) struggled to get on base against Martinez but finally broke through against the Reds’ bullpen.
With Brent Suter on the mound, Oneil Cruz led off the seventh with his 20th home run of the season. Cruz and Andrew McCutchen singled to start the ninth before Joey Bart singled home Cruz. Bart scored on Rowdy Tellez’s single two batters later to close the scoring.
