The Cincinnati Reds have summoned offensive reinforcements from the minors as they go for a third straight road win over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon in a pitching-dominated series.
Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo were the driving forces in combined shutouts as the Reds have claimed 2-0 and 1-0 decisions to begin the three-game set.
Relievers Tony Santillan, Graham Ashcraft and Emilio Pagan have contributed on the mound as well, as the quintet has held the Giants to a total of eight hits in 18 innings.
Only two of the San Francisco hits have gone for extra bases — a double by Mike Yastrzemski against Greene in the series opener on Monday and a double by Casey Schmitt in Tuesday’s contest.
The Reds have won two games despite totaling just 13 hits.
Like the Giants, they have yet to record a triple or home run in the series. They have four doubles — two by Spencer Steer and one apiece by Blake Dunn and Gavin Lux.
Lux, who started in left field when the Reds hosted the Giants to start the season, has been playing second base in this series. He replaced Matt McLain, who went on the injured list Tuesday with a strained left hamstring.
The Reds decided to call up infielder Noelvi Marte and outfielder Will Benson from Triple-A Louisville and option pitcher Carson Spiers to the affiliate. Neither healthy player arrived in time to participate in Tuesday’s win but are expected to be in uniform for the series finale.
Marte was disappointed that he didn’t make the Reds’ Opening Day roster but now realizes it was the right decision after gaining confidence through a nine-game stint at Louisville in which he hit .353.
“It was the best thing to happen to me in my career,” said the 23-year-old, who batted just .150 in spring training. “I needed to set the ground, go back there and realize that I need to get back and do what I do.”
If either Marte or Benson starts on Wednesday, they’ll go against right-hander Justin Verlander (0-0, 6.14 ERA), who is scheduled to make his third start for the Giants.
The 42-year-old Verlander pitched five effective innings in a 3-2 loss at Cincinnati in the second game of the season on March 29. He followed that by lasting just seven outs, allowing three runs, in San Francisco’s 10-9, 11-inning home win over the Seattle Mariners last Friday.
Verlander has started just five games in his career against the Reds, going 1-2 with a 4.25 ERA.
Cincinnati is expected to counter with right-hander Nick Martinez (0-2, 5.91 ERA), who was on the losing end of a 6-3 decision against the Giants on March 30 after giving up four runs in six innings.
The 34-year-old has gone 1-2 with a 3.60 ERA in 14 career games against San Francisco, three of which have been starts.
Martinez can count on facing Giants center fielder Jung Hoo Lee, who like most Giants has been more impressive defensively than offensively (1-for-8) in the series.
“He’s only scratching the surface of his abilities,” San Francisco ace Logan Webb said after watching Lee make a sliding catch behind him in Monday’s game. “It’s fun for all of us to watch because it’s a pleasure to see him keep getting better.”
-Field Level Media
