The Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds played the middle game of their three-game series today at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH. Sonny Gray got the ball for the Red Sox, while Brady Singer got the ball for the Reds.
Boston Red Sox Starting Lineup
LF – Roman Anthony
SS – Trevor Story
DH – Jarren Duran
1B – Willson Contreras
RF – Wilyer Abreu
3B – Caleb Durbin
2B – Marcelo Mayer
C – Carlos Narvaez
CF – Ceddanne Rafaela
RHP – Sonny Gray
Cincinnati Reds Starting Lineup
CF – TJ Friedl
2B – Matt McLain
SS – Elly De La Cruz
1B – Sal Stewart
DH – Eugenio Suarez
LF – Spencer Steer
RF – Will Benson
C – Jose Trevino
3B – Ke’Bryan Hayes
RHP – Brady Singer
Purchase tickets via Ticketmaster
Red Sox vs. Reds
Scoring
The Reds got going in the first inning. TJ Friedl led off with a single, and then he stole second. Matt McLain drew a walk. Elly De La Cruz moved the runners over with a groundout. Sal Stewart drove home Friedl with a single. Eugenio Suarez then hit a ground ball to the Gray, who tried to tag McLain, but he dropped the ball, and the Reds made it 2-0. The Reds added to their lead in the second as Matt McLain doubled home Ke’Bryan Hayes, who reached via an error. In the top of the third, Trevor Story hit the first Red Sox home run of the season. In the bottom of the third, Sal Stewart led off the inning with a solo home run.
The Red Sox got another run in the top of the fourth after Carlos Narvaez and Ceddanne Rafaela singles, Roman Anthony drove home Narvaez with a single of his own to make 4-2. The Red Sox made it a one-run game as Rafaela scored on a wild pitch. The Reds extended their lead in the bottom of the fifth as Elly De La Cruz hit a solo home run on the first pitch he saw.
The Red Sox made it a one-run game again in the top of the seventh. Jarren Duran drew a one-one walk and would advance to second, then Wilyer Abreu doubled home Duran to make it 5-4. In the top of the ninth, the Red Sox, down to their last strike, tied it with a Wilyer Abreu solo home run.
In the 11th with the runner on second, McLain walked, De La Cruz struck out, then Dane Myers singled home Friedl to give the Reds the 6-5 win.
Pitching
Boston
Gray made his Red Sox debut, and it didn’t go as planned. He last four innings, allowing four runs, three earned on six hits. He walked one and struck out five. Greg Weissert was first out of the bullpen for the Red Sox. He allowed a home run on the first pitch he threw. Weissert ended up allowing two hits and one run; he walked one and struck out two. Danny Coulombe made his Red Sox debut, allowing a hit and a walk and striking out one.
Ryan Watson got the rest of the sixth along with all of the seventh and eighth, allowing just three walks and striking out one. The one was his first big-league strikeout. Aroldis Chapman got the ninth, not allowing a base runner, and recorded a strikeout. Garrett Whitlock got the tenth for the Red Sox and didn’t allow a base runner, and struck out one. Justin Slaten got the 11th, and he allowed the game-winning run on a hit, taking the loss.
Cincinnati
Singer, in his first start of 2026, went four innings, allowing three runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out five. Sam Moll made his second appearance of the season, going one inning and not allowing a baserunner. Pierce Johnson started the sixth, allowing a hit in 0.2 innings. Graham Ashcraft finished off the inning, going an inning, allowing a run on a hit and striking out two, and walking one. Tony Santillan finished the seventh and got the eighth, but he lasted 0.2 into the eighth. He walked two and struck out three. Emilio Pagan went 1.1 innings, allowing the solo home run to Abreu; that was the only hit he allowed. He didn’t issue a walk and struck out two. Connor Phillips got the tenth and 11th, striking out three.
Get Your Inside The Diamonds Merchandise Here
Player of the Game
Matt McLain went 3-4 with a run scored and an RBI. One of the three hits was a double.
Next Up:
These two teams will meet tomorrow for the final game of their opening series, with the first pitch set for 1:10 PM EST. Connelly Early takes the ball for the Red Sox, while Rhett Lowder gets the ball for Cincinnati.
