Nick Martini (33-Cincinnati Reds) made a splash in his return to Major League Baseball with a home run in his first at-bat in four games.

Martini started in the No. 5 spot in the lineup and went 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, four RBIs and three runs scored in the Reds’ 2023 Major League Baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday (June 26).

안전놀이터After batting .296 with 16 homers, 85 RBIs, 12 doubles and an OPS of .833 in 139 games for the NC Dinos of the KBO last year, Martini was not re-signed after the season. After signing a minor league deal with Cincinnati in February, Martini hit .275 with 15 homers, 65 RBIs and an OPS of 0.874 in 93 games at Triple-A, earning a call-up to the majors.

Martini, who made his big league debut in the first game of a doubleheader against the Los Angeles Angels on April 24 (1-for-3 with a walk), had failed to register a hit in the previous three games (0-for-6). But on this day (June 26), Martini’s bat was on fire from his first at-bat. With the bases loaded in the top of the second inning, Martini took a 93.5-mile-per-hour body fastball over the right field fence for a leadoff solo shot after an eight-pitch battle with Arizona starter Brandon Part.

Martini celebrates his first major league hit with a home run / Getty Images Korea

It was the third home run of the season for Martini, who had previously hit just two in his major league career. It was 1,481 days since Martinez hit a home run against the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 6, 2019, when he was with the Oakland Athletics.

After retiring the side in left field in the fourth inning, Martini activated the home run gun again in the sixth. With Cincinnati trailing 5-1 and runners on first and second in the top of the sixth, Martini took a 95.9 mph (154.3 km/h) fastball from Bryce Jarvis over the right field fence for a go-ahead three-run homer.

Martini stepped to the plate again in the top of the ninth with runners in scoring position and drew a straightaway walk. He then crossed home plate on Will Benson’s grand slam.

Despite Martini’s big game, Cincinnati fell short in the rally, losing 8-10.

Martini with the NC Dinos / Photo by News1