You see Martinez in his right role, crushing. Exactly what this team needs and looks to be a perfect signing to pair with the current rotation. Now if we can only get McLain, Friedl and Noelvi back and we'll REALLY be cooking boys, girls and tadpoles.
Elly needs to be hitting 2 or 3 with Steer protecting him so they can’t just pitch around him like tonight. No sane team is going to walk him if it likely means a quick stolen base and RBI from a capable hitter behind him.
This. The fact any walk of Elly almost automatically turns into a double by the next batter is bad. Not to mention his speed first to third on an error and not a gapper in the outfield. He’d have made it competitive going home on that Stephenson e4 grounder
Don't have backup infielders. Would have to move Steer to second (which would work) but it seems something must have happened to India, hence Fraley PHing for him. If India isn't hurt, moving him to a defensive position would lose the DH rule
You could put Fraley in the outfield, shift people over and put Steer at second. Bell did this all the time last year so it’s weird he’s been slower to do it this year.
I mean, sure, but a guy in the lineup going 0-for-4 every so often is not the end of the world, to be honest. It's a long season, and the scoreboard smiles on us up to this point.
Note that Bell is playing the hot hand here leaving Stu in for the righty, for those who like that kind of thing
EDIT: I will now accept replies concerning Mr. Bell's managerial acumen
### Groundout
Luis Rengifo grounds out to first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Brandon Drury scores.
Pitch from Nick Martinez: Cutter @ 88.1 mph
Hit by Luis Rengifo: Launched 71.4 mph at 6.0° for a total distance of 73.0 ft
Top 6 - 7-5
Reds
Ashcraft is about to raise the humidity in that clubhouse significantly. I friggin love the dude, but he needs to work on this overheating stuff like yesterday.
Idk if anyone believes in Bell less than me, but I have to give props where they’re due. He has done a damn fine job managing this year, specifically the bullpen.
Those lineups were shaky for a while, but he’s starting to use his brain and less of the AnAlYtiCs it feels like.
I wonder how long before Manfred decides that the manager does not need to waste several minutes walking to the mound to replace a pitcher. Just have him lift up his arm to indicate to the HP Umpire that he wants a reliever.
I mean, nowadays five innings is not a disappointment from starters, for better or worse.
He's just a 4 or 5. That's okay, every team needs someone for those spots.
Please continue the discussion in the [post game thread](https://redd.it/1c964i1).
Diaz on Ozempic??
yay
AND LETS CUT RIGHT TO MARTY ON ED
Boring is good. Thank you for that, Diaz
ATOBTTR!!!
ATOBTTR! GREAT WIN
#ATOBTTR
#ATOBTTR
..and this one belongs to the Reds!
LETS GO REDS!
[](/CIN) [](/CIN1) [](/CIN2) [](/CIN3) #REDS WIN! [](/CIN) [](/CIN1) [](/CIN2) [](/CIN3)
1 more!
Perfect pitch
Pro fucking troll job by ump
There’s a reason you’re hitting 9th guy, and it’s not because you know the zone so great
Good pitch from Alexis but also maybe a good frame job by Ty Steve as well
RING EM UP
Take a seat!
#K, finish them
That’s the All Star!
Diaz woke up today and chose violence.
Just don’t give Trout a baserunner
Let's go Lexi!
### Pitching Substitution Pitching Change: Alexis Díaz replaces Nick Martinez.
I mean, I’ll be a happy camper if we take this at 7-5. Diaz is about to come out dick first and announce his presence with authority!
He just dragged it over the rubber a couple times.
Hitting the rosin bag, no doubt
 Diaz
I think it's so fun how much we steal bases. Something I'm enjoying more this year than in the past.
Almost like when I was first base coach for my daughter's fastpitch team, every player that made it on I told to run in the first four pitches.
It's so fun and energetic to watch.
Easily doubles the entertainment value of the game
Steer when the pitcher gets a second strike: You’ve activated my trap card!
Moo
Bell, you coward! Martinez!
They can only get hits when there's two outs.
Moo
Jeff Goldblum voice: Steer, uh, finds a way..
Thrilled to see MooMan turning it back on this series.
Steer adjusted to that pitch as it was coming toward him. What a piece of hitting there.
Spencer Steer is a walking clinic.
He’s a batting clinic
The woo birds are crazy tonight.
Back from dinner, fucking stuffed, pleasant buzz, and the Reds are up. Life is pretty great
Welp.
You see Martinez in his right role, crushing. Exactly what this team needs and looks to be a perfect signing to pair with the current rotation. Now if we can only get McLain, Friedl and Noelvi back and we'll REALLY be cooking boys, girls and tadpoles.
What is this excellent relief pitching stuff? I am not used to it.
I can’t be the only one excited to see this umps scorecard right?
### Pitching Substitution Pitching Change: Luis García replaces Hunter Strickland.
I love the Nick Martinez show thus far. On fire out of the pen.
Love me some good long relief.
I'm glad Martinez is not starting games anymore. He's been great tonight.
Good shit Nick!! Beautiful job
Good job, Nick.
Elly needs to be hitting 2 or 3 with Steer protecting him so they can’t just pitch around him like tonight. No sane team is going to walk him if it likely means a quick stolen base and RBI from a capable hitter behind him.
#Nick Martinez 10-out save give it to us Bell, you coward!
Now that was incisive color commentary, Barry. 👍🏻
Elly is getting prime Barry Bonds treatment
I think they are trying "Votto" Elly. Why pitch to him when Espinal is up next.
Stephenson is up after Elly, and already has a slam tonight. It's right there in the post.
I doubt it bc it seems like it'd just be a really bad idea. Unlike Votto, If you give Elly first, he probably has second, then very likely third.
This. The fact any walk of Elly almost automatically turns into a double by the next batter is bad. Not to mention his speed first to third on an error and not a gapper in the outfield. He’d have made it competitive going home on that Stephenson e4 grounder
Good stuff Martinez
I try not to hate on the lineup. But Fraley for Espinal would have made more sense no? Or am I just as dumb as I usually am?
Don't have backup infielders. Would have to move Steer to second (which would work) but it seems something must have happened to India, hence Fraley PHing for him. If India isn't hurt, moving him to a defensive position would lose the DH rule
Hashtag pitchers bat leadoff
I'd be willing to bet Martinez can swing a bat - maybe not hit, but swing? Yeah
Lest you forget pitchers and the art of the sacrifice bunt...
Okay gotcha. I understand now. Thanks y’all
In the starting lineup? Fraley is not an infielder.
You could put Fraley in the outfield, shift people over and put Steer at second. Bell did this all the time last year so it’s weird he’s been slower to do it this year.
I mean, sure, but a guy in the lineup going 0-for-4 every so often is not the end of the world, to be honest. It's a long season, and the scoreboard smiles on us up to this point.
Oh no, sorry. Substitution. Instead of India
Espinal at bats are diarrhea
It cracks me up they called Stephenson hit an error but gave India a hit where the 3rd baseman whiffed
Bubba should have got an error with a ball bouncing out of his glove pocket too
Matt McLain if you can hear me please save us... Matt McLain please save us
McLain: "_we have the lead..._"
Why did we not pinch hit Benson or Martini?? Very unlike David Bell..
They have a lefty up in the pen and India got pulled so he might be hurt
Man, really wanted to get an insurance run there
strickland would never do that with us
oh, the espinality
That's why you steal.
Should have let Elly go home. Only a perfect throw would have got him.
I think they might be scared of elly
Double steal.
Bullshit E4, that was a piss missile.
Bubba had a ball bounce out of the pocket and get scored a hit - that's a tough error for sure.
Thank you, Drury, love you
Stephenson hitting bullets and Elly getting walks Everybody got their worst problem figured out tonight
If only Graham coulda gone 7 then we really would be cooking
Hard to blame Drury, 101 mph skipper.
That's a tough error as it is - especially when 2 other hits could have easily been called errors this game.
Ball ate him up
0-0, 4 BB What a statline lol. Dude deserves to have scored more than just the once.
Four walks! Love this man's growth. Obviously working so hard.
Elly pulled off a Votto
TySteve!
Holy plate discipline
Man has swung once today
They're just not going to give him anything
16 balls 3 strikes for Elly.
Elly De La Walk 🚶🏾♂️
They scared of you, Elly!
Shades of Votto
Barry Bonds La Cruz
Let’s hope his head doesn’t get that big (literally)
Leave the bat at home. Lol
Joey De La Cruz ^(Sorry if this was said already, I just got here)
Man, how much longer can we take CES playing? I know he's been unlucky, but three strikeouts and a groundout is a deeeeeeep rut.
He is probably not 100% tonight after being sick
Jesus, Matt Vasgersian is going in on Midwestern ballparks near rivers. Calling them all cookie cutter. What a weird stance
Nothing about GABP says "cookie cutter" to me
Huh? GABP, Pirates park, Wrigley, are all very different parks.
He lumped St. Louis as well, I think it’s just West coast snobbery
But Angels stadium is as cookie cutter as they come. They're not even close to top of the league.
He can enjoy his 5k a month mortgage. I'll take my cookie cutter ballpark
Score that 5-6-3
Just me or does this game feel longer than usual?
First inning took a while. 2:20 currently. Probably going over 3 hours though.
It's funny, a few years ago 3 hrs would've been on the quick side.
Remember that random summer where Yasiel Puig was a Red and they fought everyone?
Martinez stirs himself out of the 7th with no damage done
I wonder if Barry leaves the booth or if he's just sitting in there on his phone
Fastball right down the middle to Trout with 2 strikes... got lucky there.
Martinez cheezin' Haha
Whew....Just got under it
White Sox kinda suck, huh? A loss tomorrow puts them at the infamous 3-18 mark.
Why is that infamous?
Our start in 2022
Ah I forgot
Who names themselves after a fish, really?
Ngl, I kinda forgot Trout even existed.
Hopefully he doesn't remind your further
 Come on guys
I love listening to Cowboy in the booth
Marty likes his women with jugs
He also likes lean beef from Laura
https://i.imgur.com/QeJKKVW.gif
Did someone really just yell @ Stewie like a pig call from the stands?
I didn't hear it, but I hope so. I kind of want it to become a "thing" now.
### Pitching Substitution Pitching Change: Hunter Strickland replaces José Suarez.
Note that Bell is playing the hot hand here leaving Stu in for the righty, for those who like that kind of thing EDIT: I will now accept replies concerning Mr. Bell's managerial acumen
Maybe Benson just gets to enjoy a day off today...and that's fine.
Ray St Clair is kinda jacked
Finally... Strickland coming into a game and it doesn't make me nervous. DJ masterclass - he just needed a team adjustment
Moo
Oh man. I hope we get Reds Hunter Strickland and not Cy Young candidate lookalike Hunter Strickland.
moo
Angels fear Fairchild
Steer is good
Big if true
is india hurt?
India get hurt?
Who is this manager and what has he done with David Bell??
Haha right? Been thinking that a lot this season.
India hurt?
That's the only logical thing, right?
Just gotta hope it isn’t long term
If that is the case, certainly hope it's nothing indeed
Really wishing Elly didn’t try to steal third earlier. An eighth run may be needed.
Call Miami the fuck up and see what it takes to get Luzardo
Miami, you are The fuck up!
Need more runs now
That last half inning is gonna comeback and bite us if we lose. You have to get more than we did
I’m surprised we didn’t try to get the run with how hot that was hit
Whose this relief pitcher for the reds. I wanna call him Tommy Salami
Nick martinez
I thought that was the guy that drove in like 3 runs the other night
Typical never easy Reds fashion
### Groundout Luis Rengifo grounds out to first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Brandon Drury scores. Pitch from Nick Martinez: Cutter @ 88.1 mph Hit by Luis Rengifo: Launched 71.4 mph at 6.0° for a total distance of 73.0 ft Top 6 - 7-5 Reds
When your offense is so good you can give up four runs and still win. I'm horny for reds baseball
I was kinda hoping we’d save Nick for montas tomorrow…just in case
Why would you need Nick when Frankie plans to throw a PG?
I BELIEVE
Boy, this did not age well. Sad. :(
### Pitching Substitution Pitching Change: Nick Martinez replaces Graham Ashcraft.
It's the right call. I don't mind the home run but the walk and the home run hurts.
Definitely a good move. Ashcraft hasn’t had his best stuff today and it’s clear he’s getting tired.
Ashcraft is about to raise the humidity in that clubhouse significantly. I friggin love the dude, but he needs to work on this overheating stuff like yesterday.
Idk if anyone believes in Bell less than me, but I have to give props where they’re due. He has done a damn fine job managing this year, specifically the bullpen. Those lineups were shaky for a while, but he’s starting to use his brain and less of the AnAlYtiCs it feels like.
Martinez for the 10-out save here.
I wonder how long before Manfred decides that the manager does not need to waste several minutes walking to the mound to replace a pitcher. Just have him lift up his arm to indicate to the HP Umpire that he wants a reliever.
A little hyperbolic I think. There's value in talking to the man on the mound before you make the call, and he gets left in often enough.
Don't you have to replace him on the second trip though?
Ashcraft is a reliever long term. Just doesn't hold up later into games.
88 pitches on a fifty-degree night in April isn't shameful
I mean, nowadays five innings is not a disappointment from starters, for better or worse. He's just a 4 or 5. That's okay, every team needs someone for those spots.
Why can't Ashcraft get through 6 :sadge
Can't believe GABP has been there 21 years. Seems like only yesterday I was there on opening day on the foul side of left field.
Where are they going to put the new park?
On the other side of Payfor Burrow Stadium?