Cincinnati Reds right-hander Nick Martinez was just three outs away from making history on Friday night, as he lost a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres when Elias Díaz blasted a pinch-hit double to left field with no outs in the ninth inning. Martinez threw 115 pitches in total before exiting following the double.

This marked the first time all season that a team took a no-hit bid into the ninth inning. The 34-year-old pitcher had previously spent the 2022-2023 seasons with the Padres after a stint in Japan. In the game, he struck out six batters and issued two walks, including one to Trenton Brooks leading off the ninth inning before the crucial Díaz double. Taylor Rogers replaced him on the mound and allowed one of the inherited runners to score.

Before this game, Martinez struggled against the Minnesota Twins on June 19, where he allowed seven runs in just 2 ⅔ innings and was briefly demoted to the bullpen. He had entered Friday’s match with a 4.40 ERA across 15 starts.

On the offensive side, Spencer Steer carried the Reds with his three home runs on the day, making a history as no no-hitter has ever coincided with such an offensive feat in MLB history. The Reds now have a total of 18 no-hitters, with their last one logged by Wade Miley against Cleveland on May 7, 2021. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox have more no-hitters than the Reds.

With this victory, Cincinnati improved to a record of 43-29, placing them just 2 ½ games behind the third wild-card spot and marking a notable 13 wins in their last 19 games.