Nick Martinez, Tyler Stephenson help Reds to a 7-4 win over the Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nick Martinez worked seven strong innings and Tyler Stephenson homered to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-4 win over the Kansas City Royals on Monday.

Martinez (3-5) allowed three singles through six shutout innings and finished seven innings allowing three runs on six hits with two strikeouts and no walks.

Stephenson hit a two-run homer to left in the fifth inning, his second of the season, boosting the Reds’ lead to 6-0. Stephenson had three of Cincinnati’s 14 hits.

Michael Lorenzen (3-6) allowed six runs on a career-high 11 hits with three walks and two strikeouts in five innings as the Royals lost for the third time in four games.

Cincinnati jumped ahead 1-0 in the first on TJ Friedl’s leadoff double and Austin Hays’ sacrifice fly. The Reds lead the majors with 46 first-inning runs and have outscored opponents 46-21 in the first.

Gavin Lux and Stephenson drove in runs with two of the Reds five singles in the third inning before Will Benson added a sacrifice fly for a 4-0 lead.

Salvador Perez hit a first-pitch, two-run homer in the seventh, snapping Martinez’s homerless streak at 42 2/3 innings. Nick Loftin added a sacrifice fly, cutting Kansas City’s deficit to 6-3.

Vinnie Pasquantino had three hits and extended his hitting streak to 10 games, including four straight with multiple hits. Maikel Garcia extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

After playing shortstop for all but three innings this season, Elly De La Cruz was the designated hitter, with Garrett Hampson making his first start at short.

Key moment

Making his major league debut, John Rave bunted for a hit, putting runners at the corners with no outs in the seventh. Cleveland challenged the safe call at first, which was overturned and Martinez retired the next two batters, escaping the inning.

Key stat

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Martinez needed just 67 pitches to shut out the Royals for six innings.

Up next

Former Royals RHP Brady Singer (5-3, 4.88) takes the mound for Cincinnati, while Kansas City did not announce a starter for Tuesday.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb