Salvage job: Reds rally to beat Sox, avoid sweep

Reds 8 Red Sox 4

Call it a salvage job.

The Reds (45-42) avoided a sweep, and kept their status alive as the only team not swept in MLB this season. 

Trailing 3-0 in the 7th, Christian Encarnacion-Strand tattooed a 439-foot grand slam for the lead. He was a late add to the lineup when Spencer Steer was scratched after being hit on the hand in the afternoon game.

The Reds scored five in the 7th, and added three more in a chaotic 8th for the Red Sox. The Reds sent 17 batters to the plate in the two innings.

11 of the Reds last 16 wins have been comeback wins. They had seven comeback wins combined from Opening Day through May.

Matt McLain delivered the defensive play of the game. Leading 5-3 bottom 7th, Romy Gonzales doubled off The Green Monster to plate a run and make it 5-4. The ball bounced back over the head of Austin Hays. Gonzalez attempted to stretch it to a triple. McLain, playing shortstop, hustled to back up the play. He picked up the ball a good 280 feet from home plate and fired to 3rd to cut him down. It could have been 5-4, runner on 3rd, 0 outs. Just a phenomenal play.

Offense: 12 H, 3 BB, 6 K. Sox used a LHP opener.
CES 2 H. GS left Fenway. 2 R. Had not homered in his last 15 games/55 PA
Lux: 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB 
McLain: 2 H, 2B, BB, SB (12 for 12) 
Friedl: H, R, 2 RBI
Elly: H, RBI 
Stephenson: 2 H, R. Entered 5 for last 40
Espinal: RBI 1B, had been 2 for last 24

Martinez: 6.2 IN, 9 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 2 K, HR, 89 pitches. ERA 4.20. 
Heck of an outing after 112 pitches Friday.
Wilyer Abreu's two-run 6th inning HR, his third homer of the series, expanded Boston's 1-0 lead to 3-0.

Bullpen:
Rogers 0.1, Santillan 1.0, Pagan 1.0

How they scored:
7th CES grand slam, 4-3 Reds....Elly 2-strike RBI 1B, 5-3 Reds 
8th Espinal RBI 1B, 6-4 Reds...Friedl fielder's choice/error scored two runs, 8-4 Reds

Defense:
Friedl error (bobble). What’s up w/ him last 10 days? 
Stephenson threw out a runner stealing 
Hinds circus catch against wall in RF. Dude is an adventure out there.