As for the game, for seven innings it looked like the Boston Red Sox were headed for another ignominious defeat. Nick Pivetta got rocked for 3 runs and failed to get out of the fifth inning as the Reds jumped out to a 3-2 lead. Home runs by Spencer Steer and Elly De La Cruz gave the Reds the lead while a home run from Dominic Smith and an rbi from Connor Wong kept the Sox in it. In the top of the eighth, a Rob Refsnyder rbi single and a Rafael Devers sac fly put the Sox on top. Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen slammed the door and the Sox had won their 6th game in 7 tries including this one 4-3 at Great American Ballpark.
Frankie Montas got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jarren Duran got a base hit to center to start. Wilyer Abreu grounded into a double play and Connor Wong lined out to left to end the inning. Pivetta got tagged in the bottom of the first as TJ Friedl flied out to center to start. Elly De La Cruz struck out swinging but Jeimer Candelario lined a ball off the glove of Pivetta for a single. Spencer Steer made the Sox pay with a home run all the way to Los Angeles to give the Reds the lead. Jake Fraley struck out swinging to end the inning with the Reds ahead 2-0.
Rafael Devers grounded out to first to open the top of the second and Enmanuel Valdez grounded out to second. Masataka Yoshida grounded out to second to end the inning. Jonathan India flied out to center to start the bottom of the second and Nick Martini struck out swinging. Luke Maile walked and stole second, but Will Benson struck out swinging to end the inning.
De La Cruz made a great play to rob Dominic Smith of a hit to start the top of the third but David Hamilton drew a walk. Hamilton swiped second but Ceddanne Rafaela popped up to third. Duran struck out swinging to end the inning. The Reds struck again in the bottom of the third as Friedl flied out to right to start. De La Cruz hit a home run all the way to Orlando, Florida to increase the lead. Candelario struck out swinging and Steer grounded out to short to end the inning with the Reds up 3-0.
Abreu grounded out to short to start the top of the fourth and Wong did the same. Devers got a base hit to center but Valdez struck out swinging to end the inning. Fraley grounded out to first to begin the bottom of the fourth but India got a base hit to right. Martini flied out to center and Maile grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox struck back in the top of the fifth although Yoshida popped up to short to start. Smith pounded his third home run of the year to get the Sox on the board but Hamilton grounded out to third. Rafaela struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox down 3-1.
The Reds finished off Pivetta in the bottom of the fifth as Benson flied out to center to start. Friedl got a base hit to right and De La Cruz did the same to move TJ to third. Say goodbye to Pivetta as he was yanked after 4 1/3 innings and 3 runs allowed. Brennan Bernardino was summoned to put out the fire and Friedl was thrown out at home on a grounder to short by Candelario. Cruz was picked off to end the inning.
Not good enough from Pivetta
The Sox got another one in the top of the sixth although Duran lined out to left to start. Abreu doubled to center and Wong also doubled to center to score Wilyer. Devers popped up to third and Valdez struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox down 3-2.
Wong helps the cause
Greg Weissert came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Steer grounded out to second to start. Fraley got a base hit to right and India did the same to move Fraley to third. Martini hit a swinging bunt in front of the plate and Wong tagged out Fraley to keep the score the same. Maile took strike three to end the inning.
Sam Moll came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Yoshida flied out to right. Romy Gonzalez pinch hit for Smith and struck out swinging before Tyler O'Neill pinch hit for Hamilton. O'Neill flied out to left to end the inning. Cam Booser came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Stuart Fairchild pinch hit for Benson. Fairchild popped up to short and Friedl popped up to second. De La Cruz singled to left and Sox manager Alex Cora went with Zack Kelly to face Candelario. Jeimer grounded out to first to end the inning.
Suddenly the Sox sprang to life in the top of the eighth with Justin Wilson now on the mound. Rafaela hit a routine grounder to third that was thrown away by Candelario for an error. Duran got a base hit to left to put Rafaela at third and Rob Refsnyder pinch hit for Abreu. Refsnyder got a base hit to right to score Ceddanne to tie the game, moving Duran to third. Lucas Sims was brought in to pitch and Wong struck out swinging, but Devers hit a sac fly to left to score Duran with the go-ahead run. Valdez grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-3.
Chris Martin came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Steer struck out swinging to start. Fraley got a base hit to left and moved to second on a grounder to first by India. Martini struck out swinging to end the inning.
Buck Farmer came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Yoshida flied out to right to start. Gonzalez grounded out to third but O'Neill doubled to left. Rafaela grounded out to short to end the inning. Kenley Jansen came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Tyler Stephenson pinch hit for Maile. Stephenson flied out to right and Duran lept over the wall to rob Fairchild of a home run. Friedl singled to left but De La Cruz flied out to left to end the game. The Sox had won it 4-3.
Had it all the way
Hero Refsnyder
Dominic Smith was 1 for 2 with an rbi and a run scored.
Hero of The Night is Rob Refsnyder. He came in ice cold off the bench and ripped the game tying single.
The Good:
Jarren Duran was 2 for 4 with a run scored and a game saving catch.
Wilyer Abreu was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
Rafael Devers was 1 for 3 with an rbi.
Dominic Smith was 1 for 2 with an rbi and a run scored.
David Hamilton walked and stole a base.
Tyler O'Neill was 1 for 2 at the plate.
Brennan Bernardino got the final two outs of the fifth inning.
Greg Weissert pitched a scoreless inning.
Cam Booser got the first two outs of the seventh inning.
Zack Kelly got the final out of the seventh inning to earn the win.
Chris Martin tossed a scoreless inning.
Kenley Jansen earned his 14th save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Enmanuel Valdez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Masataka Yoshida was 0 for 4.
Romy Gonzalez was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Nick Pivetta was charged with 3 runs in 4 1/3 innings.
The Ugly:
Connor Wong was just 1 for 4 with an rbi.
Ceddanne Rafaela was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
Don't look now but the Sox have won six out of seven and this was about as clutch as it gets. 2 months ago the Sox would have fallen behind with Pivetta yanked and the game was over. Now, the bullpen tosses 4 2/3 scoreless inning and the Sox offense turned a 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 win. Playing flawless defense and pitching their way out of trouble helped, but the offense stepping up was huge. Dominic Smith picked a fine time for a home run and kudos to Alex Cora for bringing in Refsnyder at the right moment to get the clutch hit. The bullpen has been the strength this season but just like 2021, you can't rely on it forever. Eventually Pivetta and the starters are going to have to go deep, especially as we head toward the later months. Things worked out this time, but next time might be different. Worse yet, tomorrow is supposed to be a "bullpen game" and they used 6 pitchers to get through this one. Still, as long as the Sox can keep running teams off the field with Hamilton, Rafaela and Duran as 8-9-1, the offense will be just fine. The win improved the Sox to 41-36, 10 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Zack Kelly (2-1, 1.75 ERA) is the "opener" tomorrow as the Sox look to take the series from the Reds against Nick Lodolo of Cincinnati. The game begins at 2:40 PM Eastern time at Great American Ballpark.
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