Red-hot Martinez, Ozuna hit back-to-back HRs
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CINCINNATI -- The Cardinals wasted no time jumping on Reds starter Luis Castillo on Saturday. After Castillo whiffed the first two batters of the game, José Martínez and Marcell Ozuna blasted back-to-back home runs to spot Michael Wacha an early lead in the Cardinals' eventual 6-4 victory at Great American Ball Park.
Martinez hammered a 2-2 fastball that came in at 97 mph out to center field and continued the torrid pace he is on at the plate this week. The Cardinals slugger has four home runs in his last three games after going yard twice in Friday's game.
"He's on fire," Wacha said. "He goes up there and takes his at-bats very seriously and has good at-bats every single time. He's a lot of fun to watch, and it's nice having him drive in runs and get us leads."
Two pitches after Martinez's homer, Ozuna got in on the fun when he too clobbered a Castillo fastball 435 feet and well over the fence in left-center field.
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His sixth home run of the season came off the bat at 110.1 mph, which is the fourth-hardest homer hit by the Cardinals this season.
"It was one of those days where we got what we needed and fortunately had some offense to play with," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.
Martinez's long ball was his ninth of the season.