In a game marred by lousy umpiring, the Boston Red Sox dropped their second game of the year in extra innings to the Cincinnati Reds. Sonny Gray got squeezed all game but allowed 4 runs in 4 innings to put the Sox in a 4-3 hole. The Reds added a run off Greg Weissert but the Sox got a run in the seventh. In the top of the eighth, Trevor Story was rung up on a check swing that wasn't even close to kill a rally. Alex Cora was ejected but Wilyer Abreu managed to hit a game tying home run in the ninth inning. The Sox failed to score in the 10th and 11th even with the ghost runners and Dane Myers drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth off Justin Slaten (0-1, 0.00 ERA) to end the game. The Reds had won 6-5 in 11 innings.
Singer got the ball in the top of the first inning and Roman Anthony grounded out to second to start. Trevor Story struck out swinging but Jarren Duran was hit with a pitch. Duran swiped second and Willson Contreras walked, but Wilyer Abreu lined out to third to end the inning. The Reds wasted no time getting to Gray in the bottom of the first as TJ Friedl got a base hit to right to start. Friedl stole second and Matt McLain walked before both runners moved over on the Elly De La Cruz grounder to first. Sal Stewart singled to right to score Friedl and Gray made the bizarre decision to throw AT McLain rather than tag him out on a grounder to the mound by Eugenio Suarez. Spencer Steer beat out a double play ball but Will Benson struck out swinging to end the inning with the Reds up 2-0.
Caleb Durbin grounded out to short to start the top of the second but Marcelo Mayer doubled to center. Carlos Narvaez grounded out to second and Ceddanne Rafaela grounded out to first to end the inning. Jose Trevino took strike three to start the bottom of the second before Story booted a grounder by Ke'Bryan Hayes. Hayes moved to second on a grounder to short by Friedl and scored on the McLain double to center. De La Cruz was frozen for strike three to end the inning with the Reds up 3-0.
The Sox fought back in the top of the third as Anthony was called out on strikes by home plate umpire CB Bucknor nowhere close to start. Story left no doubt by launching his first home run of the year to cut the lead. Duran struck out swinging but Contreras walked. Abreu flied out to center to end the inning.
Story jacks one
The Reds got the run right back in the bottom of the third as Stewart hit a home run all the way to Cleveland to increase the lead. Suarez singled to right but Steer struck out swinging. Benson grounded back to the mound to move Suarez to second but Trevino grounded out to first to end the inning with the Reds up 4-1.
The Sox fought back in the top of the fourth although Durbin lined out to center to start. Mayer struck out swinging but Narvaez singled to right. Rafaela got a base hit to center and Anthony ripped a base hit to right to score Narvaez. A wild pitch scored Narvaez but Story was called out on strike three nowhere close to end the inning with the Sox down 4-3.
Hayes flied out to center to start the bottom of the fourth before Friedl struck out swinging. McClain singled to center but was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning. That was it for Gray who allowed 4 runs in 4 innings in his debut marred by bad umpire calls.
Not Gray's best stuff
"Bucknor you need to retire" - Cora
Sam Moll came in to pitch the top of the fifth and Duran grounded out to second to start. Contreras was hit with a pitch but Abreu popped up to third. Durbin flied out to left to end the inning. Greg Weissert came in to pitch the bottom of the fifth and De La Cruz immediately hit one to the moon to increase the lead. Stewart flied out to center and Suarez took strike three, but Steer walked. Benson singled to right to load the bases and Trevino took strike three to end the inning with the Reds up 5-3.
Cruz extends the lead
Pierce Johnson came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Mayer flied out to left to start. Narvaez singled to right but Rafaela flied out to right. Graham Ashcraft came in to pitch to Anthony and got Roman to ground out to second to end the inning. Danny Coulombe made his Sox debut in the bottom of the sixth and Hayes flied out to right to start. Friedl took strike three but McLain got a base hit to left. De La Cruz walked and that was it for Coulombe. Ryan Watson made his ML debut by walking Stewart to load the bases. Suarez grounded out to second to end the inning.
Welcome to the big leagues, Watson
Story struck out swinging to start the top of the seventh but Duran walked. A wild pitch moved Duran to second but Contreras struck out swinging. Abreu doubled to right to score Jarren to chase Ashcraft. Tony Santillan froze Durbin for strike three to end the inning with the Sox down 5-4.
Abreu drives in a run.
Steer popped up to first to start the bottom of the seventh and it looked like Benson was called out on strikes, but Reds manager Terry Francona challenged it was ball four. The call was overturned but Trevino grounded out to short to move Benson to second. Hayes popped up to short to end the inning.
The Sox got screwed in the top of the eighth as Mayer took strike three to start. Masataka Yoshida pinch hit for Narvaez and walked. Connor Wong pinch ran for Yoshida but Rafaela took strike three. Anthony walked and Emilio Pagan came in to face Story. Story was called out on strikes and the Sox challenged his bat never crossed the plate. His bat never crossed but the call was upheld to end the inning. Story had to be restrained from attacking the ump by Cora who was ejected for arguing with Bucknor.
Friedl struck out swinging to start the bottom of the eighth before McLain popped up to first. Cruz walked but Stewart forced him at second to end the inning. Dane Myers came in for Stewart to start the top of the ninth and Duran popped up to first to start. Contreras struck out swinging but 2 strikes from defeat, Abreu clobbered his first home run of the year to tie the game. Durbin lined out to short to end the inning with the game tied 5-5.
Abreu ties it up
Aroldis Chapman came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Suarez lined out to left to start. Steer flied out to left and Noelvi Marte pinch hit for Benson. Marte struck out swinging to end the inning.
Connor Phillips came in to pitch the top of the 10th with Durbin starting at second base. Mayer and Wong struck out swinging before Rafaela flied out to left to end the inning. Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock came in to pitch the bottom of the tenth with Marte starting at second. Trevino dropped down a bunt but too hard to Contreras, throwing to first for the out. Old pal Nathaniel Lowe pinch hit for Hayes and grounded out to first to move Marte to third. Friedl struck out swinging to end the inning.
Rafaela started at second base in the top of the 11th and Anthony struck out swinging to start. Story hit a rocket to McLain, who doubled off Rafaela to end the inning. Terrible situational hitting. Justin Slaten came in to pitch the bottom of the 11th with Friedl starting at second. McLain walked but Cruz took strike three. Myers then ripped a base hit to left to score Friedl, winning the game for the Reds 6-5.
Reds win
Jackass of the Night is Justin Slaten. He allowed a walk and a base hit to lose the game in the bottom of the 11th.
The Good:
Wilson Contreras walked twice and was hit with a pitch in 5 plate appearances.
Wilyer Abreu was 2 for 5 with a home run and 2 total rbis.
Carlos Narvaez was 2 for 3 with a run scored.
Masataka Yoshida walked as a pinch hitter.
Danny Coulombe tossed 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
Ryan Watson tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
Garrett Whitlock pitched a scoreless 10th inning.
The Bad:
Caleb Durbin was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
Connor Wong struck out in his only plate appearance.
Sonny Gray allowed 4 runs in 4 innings of work off 6 hits and a walk.
Greg Weissert allowed a run in the fifth inning.
The Ugly:
Roman Anthony was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts but walked and drove in a run.
Trevor Story was just 1 for 6 with a golden sombrero of 4 strikeouts and an error, but the one hit was a home run.
Jarren Duran was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked, was hit with a pitch and scored a run.
Marcelo Mayer was just 1 for 5 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Ceddanne Rafaela was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
That game was a giant punch to the gonads. Gray didn't look good at all but this was the CB Bucknor game for sure. Can't blame it all on him though. Even with the bad calls, Weissert still served up a gopher ball to De La Cruz and the Sox looked awful in extra innings. Still, the calls Bucknor made to kill rallies can't be ignored. Hard to win under normal circumstances but it becomes even more when the umpire has an off-day. Kudos to Ryan Watson for seeing his first major league game and good for Abreu to hit that home run in the ninth. The Sox were down 3-0 & 4-1 and refused to quit. Even though they lost, the fight was there. Its only the second game of the season so no sense panicking just yet. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow in the finale of this three game set against Cincinnati. Connelly Early makes his season debut against Rhett Lowder of the Reds. The game begins at 1:40 PM Eastern time at Great American Ballpark.
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