Reds spoil the San Francisco debut of 3-time Cy Young Award winner Verlander, beat Giants 3-2

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 Pagan 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.

Key moment

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.

Key stat

In 90 MLB games, McLain has 17 homers.

Up next

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