KANSAS CITY -- The Reds urgently needed length from their starting pitcher on Monday afternoon and Nick Martinez was just the man to provide it.
Arriving in Kansas City with a taxed bullpen after a tough series against the Cubs, Cincinnati turned to Martinez for a seven-inning stint that provided the springboard for a 7-4 victory over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.
The steady Martinez came through with his sixth consecutive quality start and never wavered until the seventh when the Royals cut into a 6-0 deficit with a three-run rally. Still, Martinez got through the inning without excessive damage and made sure that an early Cincinnati hit barrage held up.
It marked the first start of at least seven innings by a Cincinnati pitcher since April 28 -- a span of 26 games. On May 15, Martinez went seven in a victory over the White Sox.
The Reds made Martinez's task easier by zipping to a six-run lead through five innings. Tyler Stephenson played a big role in the series opener with three hits and three RBIs, including a two-run homer off Kansas City starter Michael Lorenzen.
“T-Rog [Taylor Rogers] told me the bullpen was closed today,” Martinez said.
On a soggy day that featured consistent light rain, Martinez flooded the strike zone. He threw 79 pitches, 59 for strikes.
“In the fifth inning, I looked up and saw 50 pitches,” Martinez said. “I thought I might do it [a complete game], but then I blew it in the seventh.”
Reds manager Terry Francona loved the way his club bounced back from a stinging 11-8 loss to the Cubs on Sunday, and it all started with Martinez.
“We had really good energy,” Francona said. “We had travel and then a day game. But we showed up, were ready to play and beat a good team. I thought Nick was outstanding.”
Martinez continued to attack the Royals’ hitters, which kept his pitch count down.
“You watch him out there pitching and he’s having a ball,” Francona said. “He loves competing and I really respect that. You are going to have to beat him. And sometimes that happens. But he gives you everything he has.”
Against a Kansas City club that has had excellent starting pitching all season, the Reds went right to work against Lorenzen.
TJ Friedl opened the game with a ringing double into the right-field corner and eventually scored on Austin Hays’ sacrifice fly. Then, Cincinnati had five hits in a three-run third and made it 6-0 on Stephenson’s two-run blast in the fifth.
“Just trying to work through some stuff the last few days,” Stephenson said. “Very happy with the way it went today, but it’s a long season. Lots of ball left.”
After Martinez departed, Tony Santillan gave the Reds a clean eighth inning of relief and then Emilio Pagan survived some ninth-inning trouble to make sure Cincinnati’s six-game road trip started on a positive note.
Stephenson was particularly impressed by the manner in which Martinez handled the sloppy conditions.
“He was being aggressive, changing speeds and getting that early contact,” Stephenson said. “With the elements today, it’s hard. The ball really wasn’t traveling. Anytime you can have your starter go seven [innings], probably something good is going to happen.”