TJ Friedl went 4 for 4, including a two-run homer, and Nick Martinez pitched six strong innings to earn his third consecutive win as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the struggling Minnesota Twins 11-1 on Saturday night.
Jake Fraley also contributed with three hits, including a solo home run. Cincinnati scored nine runs in the fourth inning to secure an early lead.
“That’s a playoff team, right? They’re right there. To be able to do that against a staff like that and a team that’s been playing well all year, it’s good for us,” Fraley said.
Minnesota is still 2 1/2 games ahead of Detroit for the final American League playoff spot but has fallen 3 1/2 games behind Kansas City for the second wild card.
“I think you’ve got to put it like, ‘Don’t play to give it up. Play to take it,’” Twins infielder Kyle Farmer said about the team’s approach. “When we went to Cleveland last year around this time, we took it from them. It was just a different mindset. We have to get back towards that mindset of taking it rather than giving it up.”
Martinez (9-6) gave up one run and three hits with no walks and struck out six. In his three September starts, he’s 3-0 with a 0.48 ERA.
“He knows how to pitch. He’s been on a great roll. He has a great changeup, but he has really six different pitches that he can use and throw for strikes,” Reds manager David Bell said.
Brent Suter pitched three scoreless innings to earn his second save of the season.
Byron Buxton had an RBI single for the Twins, who have lost eight of their last 11 games.
“There’s only one way to play this game,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “You can play with urgency and play relaxed and play loose. And that’s where we have to be. It doesn’t feel like we’re doing that. We’ve been pressing on the offensive side of the ball. We know that. You just have to keep going.”
