Red Sox 3 - 2 Reds
Final
  for this game

Cespedes' clutch HR sends Red Sox past Cincy

Aug 13, 2014 - 4:18 AM Cincinnati, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Yoenis Cespedes' two-run homer in the eighth inning was the difference, as the Boston Red Sox clipped the Cincinnati Reds by a 3-2 count in the opener of a two-game interleague set.

"Two consecutive games now he's come up big in the eighth inning," said Boston manager John Farrell of Cespedes. "He gets a fastball up over the plate and shows how strong he is, but a timely hit against another late-inning reliever."

Xander Bogaerts finished with two hits and knocked in the other run for the Red Sox, who have won three of their last four and were coming off a road series win against the Angels.

Tommy Layne (1-0) tossed a scoreless inning of relief, and Koji Uehara shut the door in the ninth to post his 26th save.

Devin Mesoraco finished 3-for-4 with an RBI, and Todd Frazier drove in a run for the Reds, who have lost three of four.

Jonathan Broxton (4-1) took the loss and the blown save, after giving up the deciding blast.

Broxton allowed a leadoff single to Brock Holt, then retired the next two batters before Cespedes got a hold of a fastball and launched it well beyond the center-field wall for a 3-2 Red Sox lead.

"I think had we gotten much further down in the count, we probably would have walked him and gone after (Daniel) Nava," Reds manager Bryan Price said of the game's crucial at-bat. "That being said, I never thought about walking Cespedes there unless we would have gotten ourselves in a terrible count, and 1-0 isn't a terrible count."

Layne, who retired pinch-hitter Skip Schumaker to end the seventh, began the home eighth by setting down Billy Hamilton and Jay Bruce on fly outs. He gave way to Edward Mujica, who walked Frazier, but got Mesoraco on a foul out to end the inning.

Uehara worked around an infield single from Chris Heisey to lock up the victory.

Cincinnati picked up two runs in the opening inning off Boston's Joe Kelly. Hamilton walked and stole second, then moved to third on an errant thrown from Sox catcher Christian Vazquez ahead of a walk to Bruce. Back-to-back RBI singles from Frazier and Mesoraco brought in Hamilton and Bruce, respectively.

Boston didn't counter until the seventh, as Daniel Nava led off with a double and scored when Bogaerts laced a single to left. Bogaerts was stranded on second after Will Middlebrooks flied out and Mike Napoli fanned.

Game Notes

The Red Sox improved to 41-0 this season when leading after eight innings, and upped their mark to 3-0 in the same situation vs. Cincinnati in 2014 ... Kelly worked six innings, allowing five hits and a pair of runs while fanning four and walking three. He also became the first Sox pitcher to steal a base since Bill Landis in 1969 ... Cincinnati's Mat Latos scattered five hits and one run over seven effective frames ... Prior to the game, the Red Sox recalled pitcher Anthony Renaudo from Triple-A Pawtucket ... Uehara has recorded 12 straight scoreless appearances ... Cespedes has reached base in all nine games since arriving in Boston ... Layne picked up his first victory since Oct. 3, 2012 for San Diego in Milwaukee.






Related News