CINCINNATI — Jarren Duran robbed a home run from Stuart Fairchild for the second out of the ninth inning after his aggressive base running helped Boston score the go-ahead run in the eighth.
The Red Sox posted a 4-3 comeback win over the Reds here at Great American Ball Park on Saturday.
Fairchild belted it 408 feet (and 100.2 mph off the bat) against closer Kenley Jansen. Duran sprinted back, jumped and brought it back as it was headed over the center field wall.
“I knew he hit it pretty good so I was just making sure that I was going to get back to the wall,” Duran said. “I took a last-minute glance of where the wall was before I got to it.”
Duran thought it was gone off the bat.
“The ball flies really good here,” Duran said. “We kind of learned that the first day because I’ve never played here before. So I kind of learned that if a ball feels like it’s hit good, it’s probably got a good chance to get out of here. So I was making sure I got to the wall. And if it was short of the wall, then I can adjust off. But I was just making sure I got to the wall.”
It all started in the eighth when Rob Refsnyder hit a game-tying single. The plan initially was to stay away from Refsnyder Saturday after he missed Friday’s game because of a sore right knee.
“He came early. He ran. He hit in the cage and he said he’s ready to go. If we can, we’ll stay away from him today,” manager Alex Cora said before Saturday’s game.
Cora didn’t stay away from Refsnyder though and it paid off.
Cora found the perfect spot for Refsnyder to bat. The 33-year-old right-handed hitter delivered a pinch-hit opposite-field RBI single against Cincinnati left-handed reliever Justin Wilson to tie the game 3-3. He connected on the first pitch he saw, a 93.3 mph cutter.
The Red Sox took a big chance later in the eighth inning to take the lead. Duran was aggressive, scoring from third base on Rafael Devers’ 229-foot fly ball in foul territory in left field.
Duran beat Fairchild’s throw, which bounced a couple of times on the way to the plate.
Duran said he knew he was going “right away” when it was hit.
“Huddy (third base coach Kyle Hudson) was in my ear,” Duran said. “He was like, ‘Hey, we’re going, we’re going, we’re going, we’re going.’ So I was fully committed to going home.”
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Pivetta struggles
Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta failed to make it through 5 innings for the second time in his last three starts. He allowed three runs, six hits (two homers) and one walk while striking out five in 4 ⅓ innings.
The 31-year-old righty has a 4.06 ERA in 11 starts.
Pivetta ran into trouble right away, giving up a 405-foot two-run homer to Spencer Steer with two outs in the bottom of the first inning. Steer connected on an 85 mph sweeper and sent it to left field. It left his bat at 105.1 mph.
Pivetta gave up a 407-foot solo homer to rising star Elly De La Cruz in the bottom of the third inning. That put the Reds ahead 3-0. Cruz connected on a 94.3 mph four-seamer and sent it to right-center field. It left his bat at 104.3 mph.
Smith homers
The Red Sox cut it it 3-1 in the fifth inning when Dom Smith blasted a 419-foot homer to center that left his bat at 103 mph.
Wong extends hitting streak
Boston made it 3-2 in the sixth inning when Wilyer Abreu and Connor Wong hit back-to-back doubles with one out.
Wong extended his hitting streak to 12 games.
The Red Sox stranded Wong at second as Devers fouled out and Enmanuel Valdez struck out swinging.
Sunday’s game
The Red Sox and Reds play their series finale Sunday at 1:40 p.m. Lefty Nick Lodolo (8-2, 2.76 ERA) will start for Cincinnati. Boston will string together a bullpen game.
