BSJ Game Report: Red Sox 8, Reds 2 - Late surge helps Boston right the ship to avoid sweep after Sale goes down

All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Reds, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES

Bats come alive late to snap skid: For the third straight game against the Reds, the Red Sox’ bats gained traction late in the game as Boston was finally able to pull away with the win on Thursday. Kiké Hernández homered in the seventh before a six-run eighth inning ended a 2-2 tie with Hernández earning another RBI knock before Connor Wong’s homer became the exclamation mark. Boston snapped a three-game skid to avoid a sweep to Cincinnati.

Sale exits game with injury: Chris Sale exited the game in the fourth inning with left shoulder soreness, per the Red Sox. Sale began the day strong with five strikeouts and one hit through the first two innings. He began to slow down in the third, giving up back-to-back doubles before getting out of the inning. He started the fourth with another set of back-to-back doubles as well as a walk. Alex Cora’s second mound visit of the frame included the trainer, marking the end of Sale’s night. Cora said they’ll know more on Thursday

TURNING POINT

Bottom of the eighth: The late drama didn’t go by the wayside in this one. I said if the Sox bats could get going, remember the double play that Kiké and Rafael Devers turned to pick up Chris Martin in the top of the eighth. Get going they did as Kevin Herget crumbled for Cincinnati, surrendering an insurance run on a balk after Boston took the lead. The Red Sox took full advantage with four more runs in the inning. Every batter but Triston Casas got on base in the eighth as Boston’s six runs put the game out of reach. Devers, Kiké and Wong came up big, especially. 

FIVE UP

Justin Garza: Garza came on in a tough spot in relief of Sale, entering the fourth completely cold after Sale left the game with runners on first and second. Needed two pitches for a popout to end the inning. Smooth in the fifth, too. His steady relief outing went a long way for the Sox.

Kiké Hernández: Big night at the plate for Kiké, going 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI after an up-and-down May. It was a good response to his two-error outing on Wednesday. His two-RBI single in the eighth extended the lead to 6-2 after he and Devers turned helped Martin out of a jam in the top of the eighth. 

Rafael Devers: Devers had a pair of doubles, an RBI and a walk, atoning for his costly throwing error on Wednesday. His RBI double in the eighth gave Boston a 3-2 lead, and they never looked back. Also baited the Reds into a rundown between home and third, allowing Turner to advance to third and Yoshida to take second on the fielder’s choice. Kiké blew the game open shortly after.

Josh Winckowski: Big bounceback from Winckowski with a scoreless sixth inning and a strikeout after Wednesday’s struggles. Stuff was much better this time around. 

Nick Pivetta: Pivetta was strong again out of the bullpen, striking out the side in the seventh inning. It was his third straight scoreless appearance (5.0 IP, 2 H, 7 K, HB). 

ONE DOWN

Chris Martin: Martin comes away with the win, but he wasn’t exceptionally strong in the eighth inning as the Reds tied the game at 2-2 after a double, a wild pitch and a single. Devers and Kiké helped bail him out by turning a massive double play to clear the bases before a flyout ended the inning. 

QUOTE OF NOTE

Cora on Sale: “It’s a sore shoulder. He’ll have an MRI  and we’ll hope for the best. It obviously didn’t look great. The velocity went down. I want to say in the second inning it went from 95 to 90. Let’s wait and see.”

UP NEXT

The Sox will turn the page to a new series as they welcome the MLB-best and AL East foe Tampa Bay Rays (40-18). RHP Garrett Whitlock (2-2, 5.14 ERA) will face RHP Tyler Glasnow (0-0, 6.23 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m.