Friedl and Martinez lead Reds to 11-1 rout of struggling Twins

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — TJ Friedl went 4 for 4 with a two-run homer and Nick Martinez pitched six strong innings for his third straight win as the Cincinnati Reds routed the scuffling Minnesota Twins 11-1 on Saturday night.

Jake Fraley had three hits for the Reds, including a solo homer. Cincinnati scored nine times in the fourth to put away the game early.

"That’s a playoff team, right? They’re right there. To be able to do that against a staff like that and a team that’s been playing well all year, it’s good for us,” Fraley said.

Minnesota remained 2 1/2 games ahead of Detroit for the final American League playoff berth but dropped 3 1/2 games behind Kansas City for the league's second wild card.

“I think you’ve got to put it like, ‘Don’t play to give it up. Play to take it,’" Twins infielder Kyle Farmer said of the team's mentality. "When we went to Cleveland last year around this time, we took it from them. It was just a different mindset. We have to get back towards that mindset of taking it rather than giving it up.”

Martinez (9-6) allowed one run and three hits with no walks and six strikeouts. In three September starts, he's 3-0 with a 0.48 ERA.

“He knows how to pitch. He’s been on a great roll. He has a great changeup, but he has really six different pitches that he can use and throw for strikes," Reds manager David Bell said.

Brent Suter pitched three scoreless innings to earn his second save of the season.

Byron Buxton had an RBI single for the Twins, who have lost eight of 11.

“There’s only one way to play this game,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “You can play with urgency and play relaxed and play loose. And that’s where we have to be. It doesn’t feel like we’re doing that. We’ve been pressing on the offensive side of the ball. We know that. You just have to keep going.”

Minnesota starter Simeon Woods Richardson (5-5), who has failed to complete five innings in any of his last four starts, worked out of a bases-loaded, none-out jam without allowing a run in the third. But that 28-pitch effort took its toll an inning later, when he was pulled after allowing a walk and two singles to tie it at 1.

Fraley singled off reliever Louie Varland to load the bases, and Noelvi Marte doubled to give the Reds a 3-1 lead.

Jonathan India followed with a two-run single, and before the inning was over Spencer Steer had a two-run double and Friedl a two-run homer, his second longball in as many nights.

Meanwhile, the Twins had just three hits after the first inning and were held to fewer than three runs for the sixth time in their last 11 games.

“It looks like guys are just getting frustrated with themselves and not looking at the bigger picture, just looking at the results right now,” said Farmer, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning in mop-up duty.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: RHP Hunter Greene (elbow soreness) is slated to throw live batting practice on Tuesday. If all goes well, Bell said Greene could still be in line to make two more starts this season.

Twins: SS Carlos Correa (plantar fasciitis) returned to the lineup for the first time since the All-Star break. He started at shortstop and played four innings, doubling in his second plate appearance. He was pulled along with Buxton in the fifth with the Twins trailing 9-1.

UP NEXT

Twins RHP David Festa (2-6, 5.08 ERA) starts Sunday’s series finale against RHP Rhett Lowder (1-1, 0.59).

A previous version of this story corrected Martinez's record.

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

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson (78) delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson winds up to deliver during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Martinez winds up to deliver during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Louie Varland walks back to the dugout after the bottom of the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson (78) reacts after issuing a walk to Cincinnati Reds' Tyler Stephenson during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins second baseman Edouard Julien fields a ball hit by Cincinnati Reds' Ty France to force a double play during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson, back center, talks with teammates and pitching coach Pete Maki, right, during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Cincinnati Reds' Noelvi Marte (16) hits a single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Martinez (28) delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Cincinnati Reds' TJ Friedl points while running the bases after hitting a 2-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

ROME (AP) — Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci, the Italy striker who was top scorer at the 1990 World Cup that his country hosted and epitomized a player exceeding expectations on soccer’s biggest stage, has died. He was 59.

Schillaci had been hospitalized in Palermo following treatment for colon cancer.

The Palermo Civico hospital said in a statement that Schillacci died on Wednesday morning after being admitted 11 days ago.

Schillaci scored six goals for Italy during the 1990 World Cup. He came on as a substitute during Italy’s opener against Austria, scored in a 1-0 victory, and went on to earn the Golden Boot awarded to the tournament’s top scorer.

Schillaci had never scored for Italy before the 1990 World Cup, having previously only played once for the national team. Overall, he made 16 appearances for Italy and scored seven goals — six of them at the World Cup.

Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina announced that a minute of silence would be held in memory of Schillaci before all games in the country for the rest of the week.

“The uncontrollable celebrations, in which his face was the symbol of shared joy, will remain forever part of Italian soccer (history),” Gravina said. “Totò was a great player, a symbol of tenacious desire and redemption. ... His soccer was full of passion. And that fearless spirit made everyone appreciate him and will make him immortal.”

Schillaci also won the Golden Ball award at the 1990 World Cup as the tournament's top player ahead of Lothar Matthaus and Diego Maradona.

“Thank you for the emotions you gave us, for making us dream, cheer, hug and wave our Tricolore,” Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni wrote on X.

Schillaci played for Messina, Juventus, Inter Milan and Japanese team Jubilo Iwata during his club career.

“Ciao Totò,” Juventus said on Instagram.

“You made an entire nation dream during the Magical Nights of Italia ’90,” Inter said on its social media channels.

West Germany won the 1990 World Cup, beating Argentina in the final, while Italy beat England for third place with a winning penalty kick from Schillaci.

Roberto Baggio, who scored Italy's opening goal in the third-place match, wrote on Instagram, “Ciao my dear friend.”

With Schillaci having been born and raised in Palermo, the city will hold a public viewing of Schillaci at its Renzo Barbera stadium ahead of the funeral.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Juventus' Salvatore "Totò" Schillaci, center, attends a team training session with teammates Giancarlo Marocchi, left, and Oleksandr Zavarov, in Turin, Italy, between 1989 and 1990. (LaPresse via AP)

Italy Salvatore "Totò" Schillaci, right, controls the ball during a World Cup soccer match between Italy and Austria, in Rome, on June 9, 1990. (LaPresse via AP)

Italy's Salvatore "Totò" Schillaci, right, in action during a World Cup soccer match between Italy and the United States, in Rome, on June 14, 1990. (LaPresse via AP)

Italy's Salvatore "Totò Schillaci, right, celebrates with teammate Roberto Baggio after scoring a goal during the World Cup soccer match between Italy and Uruguay, in Rome, on June 25, 1990. (LaPresse via AP)

FILE - Italian forward Salvatore "Totò" Schillaci, center, celebrates after scoring the first goal for Italy in the World Cup game against Czechoslovakia, in Rome, Italy, June 19, 1990. (AP Photo/Martin Cleaver, file)

FILE- Former Italian striker Salvatore "Totò" Schillaci is overcome by emotion as he arrives at the reality show "L'Isola dei Famosi" in Milan, Italy, Friday, Nov. 19, 2004. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni, file)

FILE - Italy's Salvatore "Totò" Schillaci, left, and Argentina's Juan Simon chase the ball during the Soccer World Cup semi-final, in Naples, Italy, July 3, 1990. (AP Photo, file)