Marte’s two-run – Noelvi Marte delivered a two-run, tiebreaking homer in the eighth as the Reds scored four runs off Paul Skenes in the second and held on to beat the Pirates 6-4 on Friday night at Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh had a reason to believe the night belonged to Paul Skenes. Reigning NL Cy Young winner, electric stuff, and an early lead carved out by Konnor Griffin.
It lasted only until the Reds woke up.
Cincinnati scored four runs off Skenes in the second inning, and the final swing came much later, when pinch-hitter Noelvi Marte launched a 405-foot, two-run homer in the eighth to break a 4-4 tie. The Reds survived the late pressure and beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 on Friday night.
The game began with a jolt from Griffin. He led off the first with a home run for a 1-0 Cincinnati advantage. Skenes answered, but the inning by inning story turned when the Reds started stringing together the kinds of at-bats Skenes typically owns.
In the second, Skenes allowed RBI singles to Spencer Steer and Tyler Stephenson. Then Blake Dunn and Elly De La Cruz came through with sacrifice flies. bringing Cincinnati back-to-back run support after the earlier hits. After the singles pushed the Reds ahead 2-1, Cincinnati loaded the bases with no outs.
A call added tension: a called third strike by umpire Jeremie Rehak against Matt McLain on a full-count pitch was changed to a ball in an ABS appeal.
Skenes eventually ran into the kind of damage that feels rare at this level. He gave up four runs, six hits and two walks, striking out seven in five innings. His ERA rose from 2.86 to 3.10.
When the Pirates tied it at 4-4, it came through Sal Stewart and the next batter in the sequence. Stewart singled off Mason Montgomery with one out in the eighth, and Marte—brought off the bench—answered with his 405-foot homer.
Relief work mattered in the closing stretch. Brock Burke walked one and recorded two strikeouts in one inning, and Caleb Ferguson pitched a one-hit ninth for his first save since 2024 with the New York Yankees.
The Reds’ offense didn’t stop at the big moments. Tyler Stephenson finished with two hits and an RBI. For Pittsburgh, Marcell Ozuna and Esmerlyn Valdez both hit solo homers.
On the mound, Cincinnati’s Andrew Abbott also took on a heavy workload. He allowed four runs—three earned—and six hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out six.
The result carried added weight because Cincinnati had lost its five previous games against Pittsburgh.
There was also an injury update that shaped the week ahead. Cincinnati placed relieved Tony Santillan on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Tuesday, because of a strained left oblique. Manager Terry Francona said it’s likely to sideline Santillan for a significant period.
Even with the Reds celebrating. the night held one more bright thread from the leadoff homer by Griffin. who at 20 years and 63 days became the fifth-youngest player to hit a leadoff homer after Lou Klimchock of the Kansas City Athletics (18-348) in 1958. Bob Kennedy of the Chicago White Sox (19-257) in 1940. Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees (19-328) in 1951. and Sibby Sisti of the Boston Braves (19-356) in 1940.
The teams will meet again on Saturday, with Reds right-hander Chase Burns (9-1, 2.00 ERA) starting against Pirates right-hander Jared Jones (1-1, 5.75).
Noelvi Marte Konnor Griffin Paul Skenes Cincinnati Reds Pittsburgh Pirates MLB score 6-4 Jeremie Rehak ABS appeal Tony Santillan injured list Caleb Ferguson first save since 2024
Skenes really got cooked like that??
I didn’t even know Reds could hit that far back when, but a 405-foot homer sounds fake lol. Why was the game “belonged to Skenes” if he gave up 4 in the 2nd.
That umpire thing in the 3rd strike thing got me confused. Like he called it a strike then “changed to a ball” on an ABS appeal?? so basically the pitcher gets free saves or what. Anyway Marte’s homer was the difference I guess.
I swear these games always flip when the hometown team hits one early HR and then suddenly it’s like the star pitcher forgets how to pitch. Griffin started it with the lead, then Skenes just let the Reds hang around. Also 405 feet is insane—my cousin could probably hit one if he got that ump strike zone.