Reds vs. Red Sox – Game Recap – May 31, 2022 – ESPN

BOSTON — — Joey Votto spiked an extended fly ball off the highest fringe of the quick right-field wall in entrance of the Crimson Sox bullpen within the fifth inning. It popped into the air and again into play for a double.

Then, within the eighth, he did the identical factor, solely to the 37-foot excessive Inexperienced Monster in left.

Two hits, two doubles — and perhaps a total of two inches from being a pair of home runs.

“I do not suppose I’ve (seen that), to return that shut to 2 residence runs in actually nearly an identical performs to totally different components of the ballpark,” Reds supervisor David Bell mentioned after Cincinnati held on to beat Boston 2-1 on Tuesday night time.

“We went over the bottom guidelines earlier than the sport and so they talked about that,” he added. “You pay attention, however you don’t really suppose it’s going to occur.”

Luis Castillo struck out 10 whereas pitching six innings of one-hit ball, and the Reds held off a ninth-inning Boston rally to snap a nine-game shedding streak towards the Crimson Sox and win at Fenway Park for the primary time since Recreation 7 of the 1975 World Sequence.

“Have not performed right here loads, however nonetheless, it is a massive deal,” Bell mentioned.

Cincinnati scored each runs on Crimson Sox throwing errors. Castillo (2-2) walked three earlier than leaving with a 1-0 lead after six and two relievers delivered a one-hit shutout to nearer Tony Santillan.

Kiké Hernández singled to guide off the ninth and Rafael Devers doubled to place runners at second and third. After Santillan retired J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts, Alex Verdugo hit a chopper that Votto could not deal with at first, permitting one run to attain on the only.

Santillan then struck out Trevor Story on three pitches to earn his fourth save.

Michael Wacha (3-1) retired the primary 12 batters of the sport earlier than Votto’s first double. Wacha began in a Boston loss for the primary time since opening week regardless of permitting zero earned runs on three hits and placing out three.

The Crimson Sox have scored a complete of 1 run in back-to-back video games towards a pair of last-place groups that enter June a mixed 22 video games beneath .500.

SO CLOSE

Votto’s double within the eighth bounced off the crimson line on the entrance nook of the highest of the Inexperienced Monster and again into play. To be a homer, it will have to clear the road, which runs alongside the sting of a small shelf that retains followers from reaching over the wall and interfering with stay balls.

It isn’t unusual for residence runs to clear the road and nonetheless bounce again onto the sector, which is deceptive to umpires and a frequent supply of replay opinions at Fenway.

The Reds did problem, however replays confirmed conclusively the ball remained in play.

“I’ve by no means seen that in my life,” Castillo mentioned. “After all it will occur to one of many veteran guys like Joey Votto, who has gone by every part.”

Votto mentioned he was extra involved about placing a superb swing on the ball than on the outcomes. He went 1 for 9 in his solely different journey to Fenway, in 2014.

“The final time I used to be right here I used to be harm, and I felt like I received bullied by the followers,” he mentioned. “Usually I do reply again, however I wasn’t at my easiest, whereas now, I really feel wholesome, I really feel sturdy and I really feel like I am in a superb place. And after they begin giving it to me, I really feel like I can reply again.”

OLD FRIENDS

The Crimson Sox are 12-2 towards the Reds in interleague play, successful every of the earlier 9 video games, and the primary 5 at Fenway Park. The groups additionally met within the 1975 World Sequence, which Cincinnati received in seven video games at some point after Carlton Fisk’s arm-waving, Twelfth-inning homer in Recreation 6. (The groups cut up the 4 video games at Fenway.)

In all, the Reds are 6-17-1 on the ballpark, together with a 3-10-1 report towards the Boston Braves after they performed at Fenway for components of the 1914-15 season.

The Reds hadn’t visited Boston in 2014, which is probably why nobody observed that their plaque on the Inexperienced Monster’s guide scoreboard misspelled their hometown as “CINN.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: OF Tommy Pham was scratched from the lineup about two hours earlier than the primary pitch with a sore left calf. He had simply completed a three-game suspension for slapping Giants outfielder Joc Pederson over a fantasy soccer dispute. … RF and leadoff hitter Tyler Naquin left the sport with a left quad pressure. Aristides Aquino changed him.

Crimson Sox: Devers was within the on-deck circle when he was hit within the chest by Hernandez’s checked swing foul ball. After Hernandez made the final out of the third, Devers took his place at third base.

UP NEXT

Boston RHP Garrett Whitlock (1-1) faces Cincinnati RHP Hunter Greene (2-6) within the finale of the two-game sequence.

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