CINCINNATI — On a night when the Cincinnati Reds celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Big Red Machine, they channeled that legacy of dominance with a performance that was nearly historic in its own right. Behind Nick Martinez’s career-best outing and Spencer Steer’s three-homer explosion, the Reds rolled to an 8–1 win over the San Diego Padres at Great American Ball Park in the opener of a six-game road trip for San Diego.

Martinez was masterful, tossing eight no-hit innings and retiring 22 consecutive batters after a two-out walk to Jackson Merrill in the first. He kept San Diego completely off balance with a well-mixed arsenal of cutters, changeups, four-seamers, and sinkers, striking out five and walking two. He exited after 112 pitches (72 strikes), allowing one hit, one earned run, and one walk — the run charged to him after he exited with two men on in the 9th.

The Padres were nearly no-hit for the first time since August 14, 2021, when Arizona’s Tyler Gilbert accomplished the feat in his MLB debut. Martinez’s effort was the longest no-hit bid of his career, and the deepest for any Reds pitcher since Wade Miley’s no-hitter in 2021.

THREE HOME RUNS FOR SPENCER STEER! pic.twitter.com/5JnSFq1syH

— MLB (@MLB) June 28, 2025

Offensively, the night belonged to Spencer Steer, who launched three solo home runs off Padres starter Dylan Cease. Steer became the first Reds player since Jesse Winker (2021) to hit three homers

in a game, and joined Scooter Gennett (2017) and Eugenio Suárez (2025, with Arizona) as recent Reds tied for the MLB record of four homers in a single game. Steer’s shots came in the 2nd, 4th, and 5th innings — all to the same left-center power alley. Today’s output now give Steer 7 home runs in 12 career games against San Diego.

Cease struggled from the jump. He allowed eight earned runs in just 4.1 innings, walking two, striking out five, and surrendering 10 hits, including all three of Steer’s homers. The Reds poured on four runs in the 4th and three more in the 5th to blow the game open. San Diego’s bullpen settled things from there, with Sean Reynolds striking out the side in the 6th and David Morgan delivering a clean 8th with two punchouts of his own.

The top of the 9th provided a brief glimmer of life for the Padres. Trenton Brooks walked to lead off, ending Martinez’s streak of 22 straight retired. Then Elias Díaz, who entered the night 3-for-7 with a homer off Martinez, roped a double off the left-center wall to break up the no-hitter and put runners at second and third.

Nick Martinez exits to a rousing ovation after carrying a no-hit bid into the 9th inning ? pic.twitter.com/wBvo8yy9O7

— MLB (@MLB) June 28, 2025

Martinez exited to a standing ovation, and Terry Francona turned to Taylor Rogers to close things out.

Nick Martinez exits to a rousing ovation after carrying a no-hit bid into the 9th inning ? pic.twitter.com/wBvo8yy9O7

— MLB (@MLB) June 28, 2025

Padres manager, Mike Shildt, on Martinez’s performance, “I thought Nick was really good. You know, changeups are one of his calling cards, and it was on display, and it was in the strike zone. Cutter was good. He just got into a really nice rhythm. He’s a tough competitor.”

Rogers got Luis Arraez to pop out, then struck out Tyler Wade (in the game defensively in the previous inning for Manny Machado). Jackson Merrill showed late-fight with a gritty nine-pitch walk to load the bases, and Bryce Johnson, in for Fernando Tatis Jr., worked a full-count walk to bring home San Diego’s lone run, charged to Martinez. But Rogers quickly finished the job, striking out Gavin Sheets on three pitches to end the game. Shildt on the late plate appearances by the Padres, “I was really pleased with the at-bats in the 9th, because we could have thrown some at-bats away. But ‘Brooksy’ led it off and wouldn’t give in. And Diaz didn’t give in clearly. Even after that, you know, great at bat by uh, you know, Jackson. Just a pro at bat. And Johnson grinded too.”

The loss drops San Diego to 44–37, while Cincinnati climbs back to .500 at 43–39. The Padres have now dropped three of their last eight and remain inconsistent at the plate, with just one run scored over the final 18 innings of their past two games.

With 81 games in the books, the Padres sit at 44–37, tied for the 10th-best record in MLB and currently holding the third Wild Card spot in the National League. San Diego’s starting rotation carries a 3.86 ERA (14th in MLB), while the bullpen remains elite with a 3.38 ERA (4th). Offensively, the team is averaging 4.12 runs per game, which ranks 20th in the league.

UP NEXT:
Game 2 of the series on Saturday will feature Randy Vásquez (3–4, 3.60 ERA) on the mound for San Diego, looking to rebound against a red-hot Andrew Abbott (7–1, 1.79 ERA) for Cincinnati. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. PT at Great American Ball Park.

J.J. Rodriguez

J.J. Rodriguez is a passionate sports writer making his debut with East Village Times. Born and raised in Southwest Florida, he is a father of four and an eight-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran who has lived in Southern California since 1996. A devoted fan of the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Florida Gators, J.J. brings a lifetime of sports enthusiasm to his writing. He’s currently pursuing a degree in elementary education and enjoys life as an empty-nester with his wife of 19 years, Lisa.