CINCINNATI _ Of all the problems that Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park can present a pitcher, especially after a lengthy rain delay, Carlos Martinez has probably seen them all.
He's just never had much issue with them.
The Cardinals right-hander threw the Cardinals to a series sweep of the Reds with seven shutout innings. Harrison Bader hit a two-run homer to stake Martinez to an early lead in the second inning, and Martinez handled the rest. He allowed two hits and struck out 11 before the bullpen made it a tighter game in the ninth inning.
The Reds got two solo home runs off the Cardinals' relievers to narrow the Cardinals' lead before Bud Norris clinched it for a 3-2 victory.
The Reds got the tying run to second base in the ninth inning due to a curious call that had to be reviewed and then overturned _ and it nearly proved more costly to the Cardinals than a simple run. Tucker Barnhart, the Reds' catcher, tried to steal a hit with a bunt. Greg Garcia's throw took Jose Martinez into the line of the runner. His left hand collided with Barnhart's shoulder _ stunning the first baseman and leaving him wincing for a stretch.
He remained in the game after testing a few catches, but in the meantime the Reds challenged the play.
After a 1 minute, 50 second review, officials in New York determined that while everyone was looking at the players colliding and those results the ball had gone far enough to go out of play. That awarded Barnhart second base and meant Norris had to pitch with no outs and the tying run at second base.
He struck out two batters.
He then hit a better to increase the degree of difficulty and bring leadoff hitter Billy Hamilton to the plate. Hamilton started the Reds' scoring with his first home run of the season. He greeted lefty Tyler Lyons with a shot into the left-field seats. Adam Duvall's solo homer off Norris then cut the Cardinals' lead to one, which is where it was as Hamilton stepped in.
Hamilton lined out to Bader in left field.
The bat that started it all for the Cardinals got to be the glove that ended it.
Martinez struck out at least 10 batters for the 10th time in his career and the second time this season. He also hit a batter for the fifth consecutive game.
From the second to the sixth inning, Martinez went a 15 batter stretch that included only one ball leaving the infield. He struck out nine of those batters, including all three he faced in the fifth inning. One of the strikeouts came on a 97-mph fastball, another on an 83-mph changeup, and he got a third in that stretch on a breaking ball.
