CINCINNATI -- Immediately following the Reds' extra innings, walk-off win in Saturday's resumed game Friday night, they carried the momentum over to Saturday's already scheduled game and routed the Arizona Diamondbacks 13-1.
The Reds batted through the order in the bottom of the first inning while scoring five runs, and they added eight runs in the bottom of the third to do all the damage to Arizona pitching.
Cincinnati has now won the series and can go for the sweep Sunday afternoon, which would put them back at .500.
Let's look at some key takeaways from Saturday's 13-1 win over the Diamondbacks.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand homers again
Talk about a day for Encarnacion-Strand. He had the walk-off hit in Saturday's resumed game, and then he homered in his first at-bat in the second game. His three-run home-run put the Reds on the board, and it was just the start of an offensive explosion from the Reds through the first three innings.
Encarnacion-Strand added another hit later in the game, and he also had a nice day defensively at third base.
The Reds lineup is so much better and more potent with him in the lineup. His power is awesome when he connects on a pitch.
Good day all around for the Reds lineup
Cincinnati went 6-11 with runners in scoring position and left just six runners on base. In addition, the Reds lineup drew seven walks and struck out just six times.
Seven of the nine hitters in the starting lineup had hits, including multiple hits from Encarnacion-Strand, Tyler Stephenson and Spencer Steer.
All three of those hitters also had multiple RBIs on Saturday.
Nick Martinez bounces back with quality start
After getting roughed up in Chicago last week, the Reds right-hander pitched a stellar six innings of just one-run baseball. He allowed just six hits and one walk and had six strikeouts, and 67 of Martinez's 102 pitches were for strikes.
Martinez had to wait out a 15-minute delay in the middle of the third inning, when home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez left the game to be tested for a concussion. Combine that delay with the Reds scoring eight runs in the bottom of the third inning, added on to an already lengthy bottom of the first inning for the Reds, and Martinez had multiple lengthy periods of time in between his innings pitched.
To be able to still go out there and pitch as well as he did is something that should not get overlooked in today's game.
Notes and observations
On deck
The Reds can get back to .500 with a sweep Sunday afternoon. Brady Singer (6-4, 4.66 ERA) will start for the Reds against Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen (4-7, 5.13 ERA).
First pitch is at 1:40 E.T. on FanDuel Sports Network Cincinnati and 700WLW.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!