Nick Martini’s historic opening day performance propelled the Cincinnati Reds to an emphatic 8-2 victory over the Washington Nationals. The 33-year-old outfielder, making his first opening day start, electrified the crowd with two towering home runs, becoming the first Reds player to achieve the feat since Adam Dunn in 2007.
Martini’s first homer, a two-run shot in the second inning, set the tone for the Reds’ offensive onslaught. He followed it up with a three-run blast in the third, giving Cincinnati an early 5-0 lead. The veteran outfielder’s heroics were a testament to his resilience and determination, having played for four different teams since 2018.
Frankie Montas, making his Reds debut, was equally impressive on the mound. The right-hander pitched six shutout innings, allowing only four hits and striking out four. Montas’ dominant performance was a welcome sight for the Reds, who had high expectations for the former New York Yankees starter.
The Nationals, on the other hand, struggled to keep pace with the Reds’ offense. Isaiah Gray, making his first start for Washington, allowed seven runs in four innings. Eddie Rosario provided the Nationals’ only offense with a two-run homer in the seventh inning.
Reds manager David Bell praised Martini’s performance, saying, “We’ve known this guy can hit, so for it to all come out opening day and his first one, which us surprising or shocking when you think about it because this guy has been a good player for a long time.”
The Reds will look to continue their winning ways on Saturday when they face the Nationals in the second game of the series. Patrick Corbin will start for Washington, while Hunter Greene will take the mound for Cincinnati.
