CINCINNATI (AP) Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit a go-ahead solo homer, Matt McLain had two extra-base hits and an RBI and the Cincinnati Reds spoiled the San Francisco debut of three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander on Saturday, beating the Giants 3-2.
McLain, who missed the entire 2024 season with a shoulder injury, got the Reds on the board with a solo homer in the third inning and scored from second base on an RBI single by Elly De La Cruz in the fifth, tying the game at 2.
Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (1-0) allowed two runs on five hits in six innings. He finished with one strikeout and settled in, forcing a number of groundouts.
Two days after losing the season opener due to shaky relief pitching, Tony Santillan, Graham Ashcraft and Emilio Pagán worked three scoreless innings to seal the win.
The 42-year-old Verlander, who signed a $15 million, one-year contract with the Giants in January, struck out five, walked one, allowed two runs and six hits in five innings. Aside from McLain’s solo homer, Verlander kept the Reds in check until the fifth inning, when McLain and De La Cruz had back-to-back hits and tied the score.
San Francisco’s Spencer Bivens (0-1) took the loss.
Like McLain, Encarnacion-Strand’s 2024 season was defined by injuries. Encarnacion-Strand missed nearly all of last season with a wrist injury, but the first base slugger has four hits in eight at-bats in 2025.
A diving play by McLain forced a ground out for the first out in the sixth, and a slick double play by McLain and De La Cruz got Lodolo out of the inning.
In 90 MLB games, McLain has 17 homers.
The Reds will start Nick Martinez, who posted a 3.10 ERA last season, against 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray in Sunday’s series finale.
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| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H. Ramos LF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .250 |
| W. Adames SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .125 |
| J. Lee CF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .167 |
| M. Chapman 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .250 |
| W. Flores 1B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .250 |
| L. Matos RF | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .500 |
| P. Bailey C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .143 |
| C. Schmitt DH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| a- L. Wade PH-DH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| T. Fitzgerald 2B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .167 |
- a-flied out for Schmitt in the 7th
| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T. Friedl CF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .222 |
| M. McLain 2B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | .222 |
| E. De La Cruz SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .286 |
| G. Lux LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .143 |
| B. Dunn LF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| J. Candelario DH | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
| C. Encarnacion-Strand 1B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | .500 |
| S. Espinal 3B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .667 |
| J. Fraley RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| J. Trevino C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
- 2B – H. Ramos, L. Matos
- HR – W. Flores (2)
- RBI – J. Lee, W. Flores (4)
- Runners left in scoring position, 2-Out – W. Flores, T. Fitzgerald
- 2B – M. McLain
- HR – M. McLain, C. Encarnacion-Strand
- RBI – M. McLain, E. De La Cruz, C. Encarnacion-Strand
- 2-Out RBI – M. McLain, E. De La Cruz
- Runners left in scoring position, 2-Out – J. Fraley 2 (2)
- SB – J. Lee
- DP – 3 (McLain-Encarnacion-Strand; De La Cruz-McLain-Encarnacion-Strand; McLain-De La Cruz-Encarnacion-Strand)
| PITCHERS | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J. Verlander | 5.0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3.60 |
| S. Bivens(L, 0-1) | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9.00 |
| R. Rodriguez | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 |
| L. Trivino | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
| PITCHERS | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N. Lodolo(W, 1-0) | 6.0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3.00 |
| T. Santillan(H, 2) | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| G. Ashcraft(H, 1) | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| E. Pagan(S, 1) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
- Pitches-Strikes – J. Verlander 83-54, S. Bivens 22-16, R. Rodriguez 17-11, L. Trivino 13-11
- Ground Balls-Fly Balls – J. Verlander 7-3, S. Bivens 2-1, L. Trivino 1-0
- Batters Faced – J. Verlander 22, S. Bivens 5, R. Rodriguez 3, L. Trivino 3
- Pitches-Strikes – N. Lodolo 86-56, T. Santillan 9-7, G. Ashcraft 15-12, E. Pagan 12-8
- Ground Balls-Fly Balls – N. Lodolo 13-3, T. Santillan 1-1, G. Ashcraft 3-0, E. Pagan 0-1
- Batters Faced – N. Lodolo 23, T. Santillan 3, G. Ashcraft 4, E. Pagan 3