The Sox wasted no time scoring in the top of the first against Robert "Not Louis" Stephenson when Xander Bogaerts led off with a double. A passed ball moved Bogaerts to third and he scored on the sac fly by Brock Holt. Andrew Benintendi whiffed and Mitch Moreland grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0
Rodriguez took the mound in the bottom of the first and got Phillip Ervin to fly out to right to start. Zack Cozart struck out and Joey Votto flied out to left to end the inning.
The Sox mustered nothing in the top of the second inning as Christian Vazquez grounded out to first to start. Rafael Devers missed a home run by inches and had to settle for a double but Chris Young lined out to third. Jackie Bradley Jr was intentionally walked and Rodriguez tried to bunt his way on, but was thrown out to end the inning. Rodriguez walked Eugenio Suarez to start the bottom of the second but struck out Scooter Gennett. Suarez was erased on the force by Scott Schebler and Adam Duvall popped up to second to end the inning.
The Sox went quietly in the top of the third as Bogaerts grounded out to short, Holt flied out to left and Benintendi lined out to left to end the inning. Rodriguez stayed strong in the bottom of the third as Tucker Barnhart lined out to right, Stephenson whiffed and Ervin grounded out to first to end the inning.
Moreland continued his neverending slump with a pop up to short to start the top of the fourth but Vazquez blooped a single to right. Devers lined out to right and Young popped up to second to end the inning. Rodriguez blew away Cozart to begin the bottom of the fourth before Votto hit a piece of crap bloop single to left. Votto foolishly tried to run on Benintendi and he gunned him down at second base. Suarez struck out to end the inning.
More Sox futility against the non-author in the top of the fifth occurred when JBJ whiffed badly to start. Rodriguez popped up to short and Bogaerts grounded out to third to end the inning. Rodriguez gave up a lead-off single to Gennett in the bottom of the fifth but Schebler lined out to right and Duvall banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox iced it in the top of the sixth as Holt hit one out of the glove of Stephenson to open. Benintendi walked and Moreland snapped an 0 for 19 skid with a 3 run blast to give the Sox a commanding lead. Vazquez singled up the middle and moved to second on a passed ball....but kept on running to third and was thrown out. Devers and Young both whiffed to end the inning, but it was 4-0 Sox.
Rodriguez returned for the bottom of the sixth and Devers handled a routine grounder but Barnhart and threw it 75 feet over the head of Moreland at first, allowing him to reach. Jose Peraza pinch hit for Stephenson and lined out to second. Ervin lined out to a running JBJ in center and Cozart popped up to center as well to end the inning.
Amir Garrett came in to pitch the top of the seventh and he caught JBJ looking to start. Rodriguez was retired on a swinging bunt but both Bogaerts and Holt drew back to back walks. The hometown hero Benintendi blooped a single to left that scored Bogaerts but Holt was thrown out at third to end the inning. It was now 5-0 Sox with 9 outs to go.
Rordiguez returned for the bottom of the seventh and got Votto to ground into the shift to start. Suarez flied out to right and Gennett whiffed to end the inning. Rodriguez was dealing.
Garrett returned for the top of the eighth and Moreland greeted him with a single to left, but was erased on the Vazquez double play. Devers walked and Deven Marrero pinch ran for him before Young walked as well. JBJ grounded out to first to end the inning. Rodriguez somehow returned for the bottom of the eighth and did get Schebler to fly out to left, but Duvall walked. Duvall was erased on the force by Barnhart and that was it for Rodriguez. Eduardo had tossed 7 2/3 shut-out innings allowing just 4 hits and 2 walks, outstanding. Patrick Kivlehan pinch hit for Garrett and Carson Smith came in to freeze him for strike three to end the inning.
Luke Farrell...yes, Sox manager John's son, came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning for the Reds. Sox analyst Jonny Gomes suggested John should pass the lineup card to the bench coach and just be a dad. Sam Travis pinch hit for Smith and Farrell struck him out swinging. Bogaerts and Holt worked back to back walks but Benintendi hit a liner to second. Votto tried to double off Bogaerts but threw the ball away, allowing Xander to reach third. Moreland flied out to center to end the inning. Farrell had thrown a scoreless inning in front of his dad, good thing the Sox had the lead.
Joe Kelly came in to close the game out in the bottom of the ninth and blew away Ervin to start. Kelly walked Cozart and Votto to make fans groan. Kelly blew away Suarez and Gennett to end the game. The Sox had shut-out the Reds 5-0.
Hero of the Night is Eduardo Rodriguez. He tossed 7 2/3 innings of shutout baseball allowing just 4 hits and 2 walks.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored.
Brock Holt walked twice in four plate appearances with a run batted in and a run scored.
Mitch Moreland was 2 for 5 with a 3 run home run.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4.
Rafael Devers was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Carson Smith got the last out of the eighth inning.
Joe Kelly struck out the side in the 9th inning.
The Bad:
Sam Travis struck out as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4 but walked, drove in a run and scored a run.
Chris Young was 0 for 3 but walked.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 but walked.
Honorable Mention:
Deven Marrero played second base in the final 2 innings.
Final Thoughts:
3 weeks ago after the New York Yankees took 3 out of 4 against the Sox it looked like it was only a matter of time before they caught and ran past the Sox. Give credit to the Red Sox for winning the games they did to prevent that from happening. The pitching has stepped up big time lately and took advantage of the pitiful teams they played against to get where they are. Every game becomes bigger than last so for Rodriguez to shut the Reds out was a big step toward the playoffs. Its nice to see some 3 run home runs the past two games which were missing all year as well. People expected the Sox to fall flat but they held on to win extra inning games and interleague games. The win improved the Sox to 90-64, 4 games ahead of the New York Yankees with just 8 to play. Tomorrow afternoon Doug Fister (5-8, 4.86 ERA) goes for the sweep against rookie Jackson Stephens at 1:10 PM tomorrow at Great American Ballpark.
Magic Number: 5
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