As for the game, Garrett Crochet (8-4, 2.34 ERA) didn't have his best stuff but the much maligned Sox offense exploded to pick him up against the Cincinnati Reds. Crochet lasted 6 innings but allowed 5 runs to the Reds. The Sox wasted no time getting to Chase Burns, scoring 7 runs in the first inning off him and Brent Suter. A 3 run bomb by Trevor Story and an rbi by Roman Anthony capped off the inning. Home runs by Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran extended the lead and a grand slam by Abreu settled matters. Wilyer's big day led to a 13-6 victory over the Reds at Fenway Park.
Crochet got the ball in the top of the first and TJ Friedl flied out to center to start. Matt McLain took strike three and Elly De La Cruz was frozen for strike three as well to end the inning. The Sox blitzed Burns in the bottom of the first as Jarren Duran walked to start. McLain threw a double play ball away for an error and Abraham "El" Toro made him pay with a base hit to left to score Duran. Carlos Narvaez doubled to center to score Anthony but Wilyer Abreu grounded out to second. Trevor Story then smashed his 12th home run of the year to put the Sox up big early. Marcelo Mayer doubled to left and David Hamilton singled up the middle to score Mayer. Hamilton stole second and Rafaela walked to chase the incompetent Burns. Brent Suter came in and Duran struck out swinging, but Anthony singled to right to score Hamilton. Toro walked to load the bases but Narvaez lined out to second to end the inning with the Sox up 7-0 already.
Austin Hays struck out swinging to start the top of the second before Spencer Steer grounded out to third. Tyler Stephenson struck out swinging to end the inning. Abreu grounded out to first to begin the bottom of the second before Story grounded out to short. Mayer also grounded out to short to end the inning.
Rece Hinds flied out to right to begin the top of the third before Christian Encarnacion-Strand took strike three. Former Sox prospect Santiago Espinal was traded for eventual World Series MVP Steve Pearce in 2018 and he lined out to center to end the inning. Hamilton flied out to right to start the bottom of the third and it looked like Rafaela had beat out a roller to second. Reds manager Terry Francona challenged that Rafaela was out and sure enough, replays showed he was. Duran flied out to left to end the inning.
The Reds fought back in the top of the fourth as Friedl grounded out to short to start. McLain doubled to center and De La Cruz beat out a roller to short. Hays tripled into the centerfield triangle to score both runners. Steer grounded out to third to score Hays and Stephenson doubled to left. Hinds struck out swinging to end the inning with the Reds down 7-3.
Joe La Sorsa came in to pitch the bottom of the fourth and Anthony got a base hit to center to start. El Toro flied out to center and Narvaez grounded into a double play to end the inning.
The Reds struck again in the top of the fifth as Strand struck out swinging to start. Espinal got a base hit in the hole at short and Friedl caught the Sox asleep with a bunt single to Crochet. McLain singled to left to score Espinal but De La Cruz grounded into a double play to end the inning with the Reds down 7-4.
Abreu stopped the bleeding by hitting a scintillating inside the park home run to start the bottom of the fifth and Story followed with a double to left. Mayer flied out to left, Hamilton lined out to center and Rafaela grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox up 8-4.
The crowd goes wild for Abreu
The Reds got one back in the top of the sixth as Hays hit a home run all the way to Long Beach, California to cut the lead. Steer struck out swinging but Stephenson walked. Hinds struck out swinging and Strand popped up to second to end the inning with the Reds down 8-5. That was it for Crochet who didn't have it today. He allowed 5 runs in 6 innings off 8 hits and a walk.
Not Crochet's day
The Sox bats weren't done yet in the bottom of the sixth as Duran bashed his sixth home run of the season to increase the lead. Anthony struck out swinging but Toro grounded out to short. Narvaez got a base hit to left to chase La Sorsa. Connor Phillips got Abreu to fly out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 9-5.
Duran gets the Wally head
Greg Weissert came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Espinal was plunked to start. Friedl grounded out to second and McLain lined out to center. De La Cruz walked but Hays forced Cruz at second to end the inning. Story popped up to second to start the bottom of the second but Mayer got a base hit to right. It looked like Mayer stole second but Reds manager Terry Francona challenged that Mayer was out. Sure enough, Mayer was called out on the replay and Hamilton grounded out to first to end the inning.
Jordan Hicks came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Steer flied out to left to start. Stephenson was frozen for strike three and Hinds grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox poured it on in the bottom of the eighth as Rafaela doubled to center to start. Duran walked but Anthony took strike three. Toro walked to load the bases but Narvaez struck out swinging. Abreu then hit a grand slam over everything to wrap up the scoring. Story walked but Mayer took strike three to end the inning with the Sox up 13-5.
Jorge Alcala had mop up duty in the top of the ninth and Strand singled to left to start. Espinal struck out swinging but a wild pitch moved Strand to second. Friedl lined out to right to move Strand to third and Christian scored on the McLain base hit off the glove of Alcala. De La Cruz flied out to left to end the game. The Sox had won it 13-6.
Sox win
Abreu The Hero
Roman Anthony was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Hero of the Night is Wilyer Abreu. He hit a grand slam, an inside the park home run & drove in 5 total runs to carry the offense.
The Good:
Jarren Duran was 1 for 3 with 2 walks, a home run and 3 total runs scored.
Roman Anthony was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Abraham Toro was 1 for 3 with 2 walks, an rbi and 2 runs scored.
Carlos Narvaez was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Trevor Story was 2 for 4 with a walk and a 3 run home run.
Marcelo Mayer was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Greg Weissert pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Jordan Hicks pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Jorge Alcala allowed a run in the ninth inning.
The Ugly:
David Hamilton was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run, stole a base and scored a run.
Garrett Crochet got the win but allowed 5 runs in 6 innings off 8 hits and walk while striking out 9.
Final Thoughts:
Big win for the Red Sox to take this one on a rare Crochet off-day. Good to see Abreu bust out like that as well considering he and Kristian Campbell carried the offense back in April. The Sox needed someone to step up in the wake of the Devers trade and for one game, Wilyer did that. The encouraging signs are Anthony, Mayer ans Rafaela got bit hits in this one. Those three are the future of the Sox and this season may be a wash, but their development is crucial moving forward. Crochet may have taken a step back in the AL Cy Young race with his ERA "up" to 2.34, but all the wins count in the end. If Hicks can stop throwing his 100 mph fastball straight as an arrow, this bullpen would be even more devastating. That's a big if though. Bottom line was the Sox need some momentum with the All-Star break approaching and this could be a spark. The win improved the Sox to 42-44, 7 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it two in a row against Cincinnati tomorrow afternoon when "Big" Dick Fitts takes on Brady Singer of Cincinnati. The game begins at 2:30 PM at Fenway Park.
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