FINAL: Cincinnati Red 5, Red Sox 2 - Strikeouts Silence Sox

The Red Sox (40-36) lose a tough one 5-2 against the Cincinnati Reds (36-39). Their win streak ends at five games.

It was all solo homers from both teams until the seventh inning. Through the first three innings, there were five solo homers. Connor Wong and Jarren Duran each hit one for the Red Sox, Johnathan India hit one for the Reds, and Jeimer Candelario hit two. There were no other extra base hits for the Red Sox in this game, as they only amassed six hits over the course of the game. The Sox struck out 14 total times tonight, with Tyler O'Neill and Rafael Devers both striking out three times.

Kutter Crawford got the start tonight, and it was a rough one. He went six and a third innings, giving up five runs, three earned, on five hits, three of which were the solo home runs hit by the Reds. He did strike out seven, which was the bright spot of his performance. Cam Booser would pitch a third of an inning, where in that inning he would allow two runs to score on a bunt back to him after he tried to flip the ball to Wong, which ended up going by him. Brad Keller finished out the game pitching an inning and a third.

My Player of the Game: Jarren Duran - This one could've went either way between Duran and Wong, as they both had the same exact stat line, but I give it to Duran due to him not striking out tonight unlike every other Sox hitter. Duran was 2-4 with a home run, another game that strengthens his all star game bid.

Tomorrow's game is slated for a 4:10 p.m. first pitch. Probable starters for that one are Nick Pivetta (4-4, 3.88 ERA) and Frankie Montas (3-5, 4.62 ERA).
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         _____________________________

WHO: Red Sox (40-35) at Cincinnati Reds (35-39)
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Great American Ballpark
SERIES TO DATE: 0-0, 1-2 in 2023
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Kutter Crawford (3-6, 3.54 ERA) vs. LHP Andrew Abbott (5-6, 3.42 ERA)
TV/RADIO: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7

LIVE BOX

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Jarren Duran LF
Romy Gonzalez SS
Tyler O'Neill RF
Rafael Devers 3B
Connor Wong C
Masataka Yoshida DH
Bobby Dalbec 1B
Enmanuel Valdez 2B
Ceddanne Rafaela CF

SP Kutter Crawford

OPPONENT

TJ Friedl CF
Elly De La Cruz SS
Jeimer Candelario DH
Spencer Steer 1B
Jake Fraley RF
Johnathan India 2B
Santiago Espinal 3B
Will Benson LF
Luke Maile C

SP Andrew Abbott

WHAT'S UP

The Red Sox won Wednesday night's series finale in Toronto, 7-3, to complete a 3-game sweep. Jarren Duran (2-for-5, R, HR, 2 RBI, 2 SB) broke a 2-2 tie in the 5th inning with a solo HR, extending his hitting streak to a career-high 10 games. David Hamilton (2-for-5, RBI, SB) stole his 20th base of the season, becoming the 2nd Red Sox hitter to record 20 stolen bases in their first 50 games of a season (Also Jacoby Ellsbury, 2x, 2008 and 2009). Boston recorded its 4th sweep, all on the road.

The Red Sox are 15-5 (.750) all time against the Reds, their best record against any opponent and the 2nd-best record of any club vs. CIN (SEA: 19-5). The Sox are 8-2 all time in Cincinnati, including an 8-game winning streak from 6/14/08-9/20/22.

The Red Sox lead the American League with 76 stolen bases (5th in MLB)...They have not finished a season leading the AL in SB since 1935 (91). Their 27 stolen bases since 6/7 are their most in a 12- game span during the Live Ball Era (1920-present).

Boston has an MLB-best 7 players with an OPS above .800 (min. 75 PA): Devers (.912), O'Neill (.896), Refsnyder (.863), Casas (.857), Wong (.850), Abreu (.829), and Duran (.813). 

The Sox are in a stretch in which they will play 15 consecutive games against teams that currently own a record of .500 or worse, from 6/17-7/4 (at TOR, at CIN, vs. TOR, vs. SD, at MIA). This comes following a stretch of 14 out of 22 G from 5/23-6/16 playing against top-10 teams in the league (MIL, BAL, ATL, PHI, NYY)...They went 7-7 in those 14 G. BOS is 13-23 against teams who currently own a record of .500 or better, while going 27-12 against sub-.500 clubs.

Wilyer Abreu is currently on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester, going 3-for-12 with 2 HR, 3 R, and a walk across 3 games vs. Columbus. Bryan Mata started last Sunday for Double-A Portland at Reading, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings (H, 2 SO).

Jarren Duran and Connor Wong are both on ten game hitting streaks, while Ceddanne Rafaela is on a seven game hitting streak.