Tyler Stephenson homered and drove in three runs and Nick Martinez struck out five in five innings as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-2 on Friday night.

The Reds did all their scoring in the first inning. Austin Hays and Gavin Lux had back-to-back RBI singles to drive in T.J. Friedl to get on the scoreboard, and then Matt McLain for an insurance run, respectively.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Scott Barlow (58) throws a pitch in the sixth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies, Sunday, July 13, 2025, at Great American Ball Park in Downtown Cincinnati. Reds won 4-2. / Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Suffice it to say the Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani didn't enjoy his run-in with Cincinnati Reds starter Nick Lodolo.

The Cincinnati Reds nearly conjured up the anomaly of all baseball anomalies. Against the San Diego Padres, two separate Reds players pursued individual moments of history and glory.

Jul 19, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third base Eugenio Suarez (28) reacts after hitting a solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the third inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

In other roster news, Rece Hinds was recalled from AAA Louisville after TJ Friedl was placed on the paternity list. Congrats to TJ, who we’ll see back in a couple of days. For tonight, at least, Will Benson will get the start in CF for the Reds, while Gavin Lux - who’ll start in LF - moves into the leadoff spot in Friedl’s stead.