BSJ Game Report: Red Sox 5, Reds 0 - Rodriguez masterful

Everything you need to know from the Red Sox' 5-0 victory over the Reds at Great American Ball Park in quickie form.

HEADLINES


Rodriguez in command: Eduardo Rodriguez had won just one of his last 13 starts since May (1-5), but you wouldn't know that to watch him against the lowly Reds. He faced the minimum batters in six of his first seven innings, and didn't allow a Reds runner to reach second base. Final line: 7.2 innings, zero runs, three hits, six strikeouts, two walks, 112 pitches. His ERA is now 3.91. Rodriguez was battling a little with Doug Fister to be the fourth postseason starter, and Rodriguez solidified his spot.

"He’s thrown the ball well," John Farrell said after the game about the competition among the starters. "We haven’t made any decisions on who is going to be throwing in what role, with the exception of David Price. But with Eddie’s performance, he is certainly helping us achieve the first goal. Beyond that, we’ll have time to make those decisions."

https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/911720895718313990

Moreland busts out: Mitch Moreland didn't have a hit in his previous 17 at-bats, but he launched a three-run home run in the sixth inning to give Rodriguez all the offense he would need. Moreland added a single in the eighth.

Benintendi flashes the glove, again: Andrew Benintendi, who drove in the fifth run, made a diving catch down the left-field line to end the first inning, and then threw out Joey Votto trying to stretch a single into a double in the fourth.

TURNING POINT

It was still just a 1-0 game in the sixth inning when Brock Holt reached on an error by the pitcher, and then Benintendi walked. That's when Moreland walked up to the plate and did this on the first pitch:

https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/911715730391011328

SECOND GUESS

When Joe Kelly walked back-to-back batters with one out, John Farrell decided to have closer Craig Kimbrel warm up. Bit of a nitpick, but not optimal.

ASCENDING

Rafael Devers: After seeing his average drop 19 points from a high of .308, Devers has seven hits in his past four games and sits at .298. He had a double off the top of the wall and then laced another ball on a line out to right field. He's seeing the ball well now.

DESCENDING

Chris Young: Went 0-for-3 to make him hitless in his last eight at-bats. He's now batting .229 on the season and .188 in Sept. Not good if he's trying to make the postseason roster.

INJURIES

None during the game.

Mookie Betts was scratched from the lineup before the game. He suffered a bruise to his left foot on a foul ball last night. He is day to day.

Dustin Pedroia is out of the lineup for maintenance on his troublesome left knee. He is expected to be back in the lineup on Sunday. "He was grinding a little bit last night with the knee,” John Farrell said. “So, after talking with him after the game, checking in with him here this morning, I would expect him to be back in the lineup (tomorrow). But today is a treatment day for him as well.”

TOP PLAY

Benintendi throwing out Votto at second base in the fourth inning.

https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/911704648695808002

THEY SAID IT

Farrell on Rodriguez: "He maintained his stuff all the way through. He gets a couple of key defensive plays by Benny in left field, but his command overall of his pitches, he used three pitches to both sides of the plate, he’s gotten to the point where he’s using all three, he’s not eliminating any one pitch to lefthanders or righthanders, and it’s good to see him seemingly take the next step in his maturation as a pitcher. The stuff has never been in question, but his increased focused, that’s a strong outing right there. His last four or five that he’s put together, he’s throwing the ball very, very well."

Farrell, on having his son, Luke, pitch against him: "It was somewhat surreal, very proud. You’re standing there looking through a netting in the dugout and you think you’re watching him throw back in Little League or high school, to many of the different stages. To see it happen on a Major League mound, it was a special day, special inning. Extremely, extremely proud of him.

Farrell, on being the first manager to go against his son as a pitcher: "That’s a lot of people that have played this game. If that’s the first combination, it’s a proud day but that makes it that much more unique. A class move by Reds manager Bryan (Price) to put him in the game. He’s earning his way and we’ll see what unfolds and transpires. Very proud to watch him on a major-league mound."

Rodriguez on his start: "My fastball was right where I wanted it all the time. ... I’ve been working on throwing more strikes. That’s the thing I’ve been working on between starts."

Rodriguez on starting a game in the postseason: "I’ve never done it before, so that would be the best feeling in the world, that’s what everyone tells me. I’m trying to do everything I can do to be on the team."

TWO TAKES BEDARD WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

Still with the baserunning?: When Benintendi singled down the left-field line to plate Xander Bogaerts, the run nearly wasn't allowed because Brock Holt was thrown out — standing up, mind you — at third base to end the inning. Just brutal.

That should have been another error on Devers in the sixth inning: Devers has had his issues in the field of late (13 errors on the season), and he was bailed out by the official scorer in the sixth inning. Tucker Barnhart hit a tough ground ball to third base and Devers made a nice play to field it. But his off-balance throw was wide of first, allowing Barnhart to reach. Barnhart is not fast and a good throw gets him. Devers should have made that play.

UP NEXT

Red Sox at Reds, 1:10 p.m. (NESN)
RHP Doug Fister (5-8, 4.86) vs. RHP Jackson Stephens (2-0, 4.80)