Marte's tiebreaking homer in 8th after 4-run inning against Skenes helps Reds beat Pirates 6-4

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pinch-hitter Noelvi Marte hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning after Cincinnati scored four runs off Paul Skenes in the second, and the Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 on Friday night.

Given a 1-0 lead on Konnor Griffin's homer leading off the first, Skenes allowed RBI singles to Spencer Steer and Tyler Stephenson and sacrifice flies to Blake Dunn and Elly De La Cruz. After the singles put the Reds ahead 2-1, Cincinnati loaded the bases with no outs when a called third strike by umpire Jeremie Rehak against Matt McLain on a full-count pitch was changed to a ball in an ABS appeal.

Skenes, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, gave up four runs, six hits and two walks while striking out seven in five innings. His ERA rose from 2.86 to 3.10.

With the score 4-4, Sal Stewart singled off Mason Montgomery (2-3) with one out in the eighth and Marte followed with a 405-foot homer.

Griffin, at 20 years, 63 days, became the fifth-youngest player to hit a leadoff homer after the Kansas City Athletics' Lou Klimchock (18-348) in 1958, Bob Kennedy of the Chicago White Sox (19-257) in 1940, the New York Yankees' Mickey Mantle (19-328) in 1951 and the Boston Braves' Sibby Sisti (19-356) in 1940.

Brock Burke (3-3) walked one and had two strikeouts in an inning of relief and Caleb Ferguson pitched a one-hit ninth for his first save since 2024 with the New York Yankees.

Cincinnati had lost its five previous games against Pittsburgh.

Tyler Stephenson had two hits and an RBI for Cincinnati.

Marcell Ozuna and Esmerlyn Valdez also hit solo homers for the Pirates.

Reds starter Andrew Abbott gave up four runs — three earned —- and six hits in 5 1/3 innings with six strikeouts.

Cincinnati placed relieved Tony Santillan on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Tuesday, because of a strained left oblique that manager Terry Francona said is likely to sideline the right-hander for a significant period.

Reds RHP Chase Burns (9-1, 2.00 ERA) starts Saturday opposite Pirated RHP Jared Jones (1-1, 5.75).

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Cincinnati Reds' Elly de la Cruz, right, and Matt McLain (9) celebrate after getting the final out of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Pittsburgh, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Cincinnati Reds' Noelvi Marte (4) celebrates with Cincinnati Reds third base coach Willie Harris (99) as he rounds third base after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mason Montgomery during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Cincinnati Reds' Noelvi Marte (4) celebrates with Sal Stewart (27) as he crosses home plate after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mason Montgomery during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

HOUSTON (AP) — Cape Verde completed an improbable run through the group stage with a third straight World Cup draw to become the smallest country to earn a spot in the knockout round following a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia on Friday night.

The small island nation off the western coast of Africa, which is making its debut on soccer’s grandest stage, already held 2010 champion Spain to a 0-0 draw and then came from behind to get a 2-2 result against Uruguay.

Cape Verde’s three points put the team in second place behind Spain, which beat Uruguay on Friday night and won the group.

Cape Verde will play reigning World Cup champion Argentina in Miami on July 3.

Drawing all three group matches does not guarantee advancement at major soccer tournaments. But several teams have done it in the past, including Wales in 1958, Ireland and the Netherlands in 1990, and Chile in 1998. New Zealand, however, also got three draws at the 2010 World Cup and was eliminated.

On the eve of the match, Cape Verde coach Bubista mused, “everyone is entitled to dream and nothing is impossible.”

The Blue Sharks proved him right, overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds as this country of just more than 500,000 reached the round of 32.

A woman, her face painted with a flag of the archipelago, held a sign that read: “Small Islands, Big Dreams.”

A dream that these underdogs have made reality as they continue their charmed run on the world stage.

They did it with another strong game from Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper whose tournament success has helped him amass more than 16 million Instagram followers.

He had a save in first half stoppage time, grabbing a header from Mohamed Kanno to keep Saudi Arabia scoreless. Another save came in the 66th minute when he leaped to deflect a shot from Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat.

A third came in the 92nd minute when he stopped a shot by Abdullah Al-Hamdan. A group of shirtless men in the crowd each painted one letter of his name on their chests as they cheered Cape Verde.

But Vozinha had a much bigger fan among the crowd of 68,278 as his mother Ana Candida Evora watched from a luxury suite, waving a tiny Cape Verde flag. It was her second match of the tournament after missing Vozinha’s epic seven-save performance against Spain because of visa issues.

Cape Verde had a chance to score in the 50th minute, but Kevin Pina's shot from distance was just above the crossbar. Another chance came in the 74th minute when Laros Duarte’s shot from the middle of the box was stopped by goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais.

A last chance to score came in the final seconds when Nuno da Costa sent a shot from the middle of the box wide left.

But it didn’t matter because a couple of minutes after the final whistle, Spain completed its victory over Uruguay and set off a joyous celebration among Cape Verde's players and fans, many of whom cried as they rejoiced.

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Cape Verde goalkeeper Marcio Rosa (12) celebrates with teammates after advancing during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia in Houston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) CORRECTION: Corrects ID to Cape Verde goalkeeper Marcio Rosa (12), not Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha (1).

Cape Verde team members celebrate after the World Cup Group H soccer match between Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia in Houston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Saudi Arabia's Mohamed Kanno (23) battles for the ball with Cape Verde's Nuno da Costa (21) during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia in Houston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Cape Verde's Diney Borges (3) slides under Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Abu Alshamat (26) during the second half of the World Cup Group H soccer match between Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia in Houston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Saudi Arabia's Ali Lajami (3) battles for a header on a corner kick with Cape Verde's Diney Borges (3) during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia in Houston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais (21) and Cape Verde's Laros Duarte (15) look on as the ball goes wide after Alowais made a save during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia in Houston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Saudi Arabia's Abdulelah Alamri (4) and Cape Verde's Nuno da Costa (21) collide was they try to head the ball during the second half of the World Cup Group H soccer match in Houston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)