Final, Red Sox 4-3: Grady Sizemore provided his first career walk-off hit since 2006.
Sizemore followed back-to-back singles by David Ortiz and Mike Napoli with a line drive into the left-center field gap. Ortiz raced around with the game-winning run.
Sizemore’s walk-off hit capped a productive night at the plate for the outfielder. He went 3-for-6 with two RBIs and is starting to swing the bat better after struggling for much of the season.
Dustin Pedroia reached base four times in the win. He went 3-for-5 while also playing superb defense at second base.
Craig Breslow earned the victory for Boston. Junichi Tazawa surrendered two runs in the eighth inning, but Burke Badenhop, Andrew Miller, Koji Uehara and Breslow spearheaded an otherwise solid night for the Red Sox’s bullpen.
Jake Peavy will take the ball Wednesday as the Red Sox look to make it two straight and, more importantly, get back to .500.
Mid 12th, 3-3: The Red Sox again will dig in with the score still tied and a chance to win the game.
Craig Breslow retired Chris Heisey and Joey Votto to begin the 12th inning. Heisey struck out looking, and Votto lined into the left field corner, where Grady Sizemore made a running grab.
Brandon Phillips singled just over a leaping Dustin Pedroia’s outstretched glove and into right-center field with two outs.
Breslow rebounded to strike out Todd Frazier.
David Ortiz, Mike Napoli and Grady Sizemore are due up in the bottom of the 12th inning.
End 11th, 3-3: Dustin Pedroia tried to spark something with two outs. But the 300th double of the second baseman’s career only delayed a scoreless inning for Logan Ondrusek.
Will Middlebrooks struck out looking, and Jackie Bradley Jr. lined to center field for the first two outs. Pedroia then shot a ground ball up the right field line and hustled his way to a double.
Pedroia has been on base four times in this game.
Shane Victorino couldn’t capitalize with Pedroia in scoring position. He grounded back to the mound.
Craig Breslow will pitch the 12th inning for Boston.
Mid 11th, 3-3: Andrew Miller worked more than three outs for the second time this season. He marked the occasion with a very strong 11th inning.
Miller struck out Zack Cozart on three pitches to open the frame.
Billy Hamilton then dug in for his second plate appearance. The Red Sox responded by pulling Will Middlebrooks and Mike Napoli to within feet of the plate, clearly anticipating another bunt.
As expected, Hamilton bunted. This one traveled up the first base line, where Napoli scooped it and tossed to Dustin Pedroia, who covered first base. The throw nearly hit Hamilton, but it sneaked by him and into Pedroia’s glove for the second out.
Miller struck out Tucker Barnhart on three pitches to end the inning.
End 10th, 3-3: Sam LeCure sped through the bottom of the 10th inning without any issues.
Grady Sizemore jumped on the second pitch of the frame and grounded just inside the first base line. Joey Votto made the play and stepped on the bag for the out.
Xander Bogaerts grounded to the left side, and A.J. Pierzynski flied out to center field.
Andrew Miller will come back out for the 10th inning.
Mid 10th, 3-3: Will Middlebrooks had been having a flawless night defensively despite being 0-for-4 at the plate. Then, a two-out error in the 10th inning threatened to cause some trouble.
Andrew Miller made sure the defensive miscue didn’t hurt, though. The lefty struck out Skip Schumaker looking to end the 10th inning.
Brandon Phillips grounded out, and Todd Frazier struck out before Middlebrooks’ error.
End 9th, 3-3: The Red Sox left the winning run on third base.
Dustin Pedroia singled into right field with one out, but a failed hit-and-run attempt with Shane Victorino batting wiped Pedey off the bases.
Victorino eventually walked. David Ortiz followed with a seven-pitch walk, sending the winning run into scoring position.
Victorino took third base uncontested with Mike Napoli batting for his first stolen base of 2014, but the Red Sox couldn’t cash in. Napoli grounded to Zack Cozart at short to end the threat.
To extra innings, we go. Andrew Miller will pitch the 10th inning for Boston.
Mid 9th, 3-3: It wasn’t easy, but Koji Uehara held Cincinnati scoreless in the ninth inning. The Reds stranded the potential go-ahead run 90 feet away.
Zack Cozart led off with an infield single. Cozart grounded softly to the right side and Mike Napoli made the play, but Uehara couldn’t get over to cover the bag in time.
Billy Hamilton then entered as a pinch-hitter, and it was fairly obvious the speedy rookie was going to drop down a bunt. Hamilton indeed bunted, and Uehara threw him out at first base.
Tucker Barnhart hit a ball that probably would have left any other ballpark. It only reached the warning track at Fenway, though, and Shane Victorino made the catch. Cozart tagged up and advanced to third base with two down.
Chris Heisey looked to catch the Red Sox off guard with a two-out safety squeeze. His bunt traveled down the third base line and Cozart was unable to score, though Heisey reached safely at first base.
Uehara escaped the ninth-inning jam by getting the always dangerous Joey Votto to pop out.
End 8th, 3-3: Grady Sizemore’s leadoff single went for naught in the eighth inning.
Sizemore shot a single into center field, but J.J. Hoover rebounded to strike out Xander Bogaerts.
Lefty Manny Parra entered and retired A.J. Pierzynski and Will Middlebrooks. Pierzynski struck out, and Middlebrooks grounded to short for an inning-ending forceout.
Mid 8th, 3-3: It wasn’t Fenway’s most boisterous rendition of “Sweet Caroline,” as the Reds tied the game at three apiece in the eighth.
Joey Votto did what he does best. The on-base machine walked on six pitches after falling behind 0-2 against Junichi Tazawa.
Brandon Phillips really turned the inning in Cincinnati’s favor by hammering a one-out double down the left field line.
Todd Frazier singled into left field to cut Boston’s two-run lead in half, and Ryan Ludwick tied the game with a sacrifice fly to right field.
End 7th, Red Sox 3-1: J.J. Hoover took over after six innings from starter Homer Bailey. Hoover worked a scoreless seventh.
Shane Victorino and David Ortiz popped out. Mike Napoli grounded to short to end the inning.
Junichi Tazawa will pitch the eighth inning for Boston.
Bailey surrendered three earned runs on five hits and five walks over six innings. He struck out five and threw 110 pitches (64 strikes).
Mid 7th, Red Sox 3-1: Burke Badenhop handled his business in the seventh inning, retiring the Reds in order to keep the Red Sox’s two-run lead intact.
Will Middlebrooks made an excellent play to begin the seventh. Zack Cozart hit a soft ground ball down the third base line. Middlebrooks charged in to make the play and delivered a very strong, off-balance throw to first base for the out.
Neftali Soto grounded out, and Tucker Barnhart flied out to complete Badenhop’s solid appearance — assuming the reliever’s night is over.
End 6th, Red Sox 3-1: Homer Bailey has had a hard time finding the strike zone at times. But he’s managed to make it through six innings.
Will Middlebrooks, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Dustin Pedroia went down in order against Bailey in the sixth. Middlebrooks struck out, and both Bradley and Pedroia put the ball on the ground.
Burke Badenhop, who recorded the final out of the sixth inning, will pitch the seventh inning for Boston.
Mid 6th, Red Sox 3-1: Dustin Pedroia has been flashing some leather in this game.
Pedroia made another excellent play in the sixth inning to begin another inning-ending double play. This time, Skip Schumaker hit a ground ball up the middle that Pedroia fielded on the back hand before flipping the ball out of his glove to shortstop Xander Bogaerts.
The double play occurred on Burke Badenhop’s first pitch. Badenhop took over for Felix Doubront, who walked Brandon Phillips and Ryan Ludwick in the sixth inning before exiting.
The book officially is closed on Doubront. The left-hander allowed one earned run on five hits and three walks. He struck out three and threw 97 pitches (58 strikes).
End 5th, Red Sox 3-1: The first two batters reached for Boston in the fifth inning. The Red Sox came up empty, though.
David Ortiz scorched a line drive down the right field line. The ball touched down and then jetted into the seats for a leadoff ground-rule double.
Mike Napoli, who forced in a run with a bases-loaded walk in the third inning, earned another free pass in the fifth.
Homer Bailey settled down to retire Grady Sizemore, Xander Bogaerts and A.J. Pierzynski. Sizemore flied to right field, Bogaerts struck out and Pierzynski grounded into a 4-6 forceout.
Mid 5th, Red Sox 3-1: Felix Doubront had a much-needed quick inning in the fifth.
Doubront needed just nine pitches to retire Tucker Barnhart, Chris Heisey and Joey Votto in order. The lefty now has thrown 85 pitches.
Barnhart, Heisey and Votto all put the ball on the ground in the fifth.
End 4th, Red Sox 3-1:Â Homer Bailey worked around a one-out single in the fourth inning.
Will Middlebrooks grounded to short for the first out, though it took a great scoop at first base by Joey Votto to complete the out. Zack Cozart’s throw created a nasty in-between hop that Votto managed to pick on the back hand.
Jackie Bradley Jr. singled into center field, but Bailey rebounded to take care of Dustin Pedroia and Shane Victorino. Pedroia struck out looking, and Victorino grounded out softly to the left side.
Mid 4th, Red Sox 3-1: Felix Doubront surrendered a couple of two-out singles before wiggling out of trouble.
Skip Schumaker (who knocked in Cincinnati’s lone run) and Zack Cozart singled with two down, putting some pressure on Doubront that prompted a mound visit.
Doubront escaped the inning by striking out Neftali Soto.
End 3rd, Red Sox 3-1: Homer Bailey has had a hard time living up to his new $105 million contract so far this season.
Bailey entered the game with a 5.50 ERA, and the right-hander has found outs difficult to come by against the Red Sox.
Jackie Bradley Jr. led off the bottom of the third inning with a walk, and Dustin Pedroia increased the threat with a laser into the left-center field gap for a double.
The Reds intentionally walked David Ortiz with first base open and one out. Mike Napoli, as he typically does, put up a quality at-bat that ended in a six-pitch walk. Bradley trotted home from third base.
Grady Sizemore extended Boston’s newfound lead with an RBI single into right field.
Mid 3rd, 1-1: Dustin Pedroia showed off his defensive prowess in the third inning.
Joey Votto, who is an absolute on-base machine, singled with one out. Votto got caught slipping on the bases, though.
Pedroia snagged Brandon Phillips’ sharply hit liner and quickly fired to first to double-up Votto.
End 2nd, 1-1: The Red Sox went down in order against Homer Bailey in the second inning.
Xander Bogaerts and A.J. Pierzynski struck out before Will Middlebrooks ended the inning with a ground ball to third base.
Bogaerts chased a pitch up and out of the zone. Pierzynski looked fooled and was caught off balance by a slider.
Mid 2nd, 1-1: The second inning didn’t go as smoothly as the first inning for Felix Doubront.
Todd Frazier walked and advanced to third base when Ryan Ludwick hammered a double into the left-center field gap. Skip Schumaker plated Frazier with a bloop single into center field.
At that point, Doubront needed an out more than anything. Fortunately for him, Zack Cozart’s fly ball to right field was shallow enough that Cincinnati couldn’t add to its lead.
The Red Sox cut down a runner at the plate to preserve the 1-1 tie. Neftali Soto grounded to third base, where Will Middlebrooks made the play and fired home. Ludwick, who was off on contact, got caught up in no man’s land and eventually was tagged out.
Tucker Barnhart flied out to end the inning with just the one run across.
End 1st, Red Sox 1-0: The Red Sox jumped ahead following a controversial call at second base.
Dustin Pedroia led off with a four-pitch walk, continuing the second baseman’s success in game-opening at-bats this season.
Shane Victorino then singled into center field to put two runners on for David Ortiz with nobody out.
Ortiz grounded to third base with Cincinnati playing in a shift. Todd Frazier made the play and tossed to second base for what looked like a double play. Victorino was called safe at second, though, so the only out the Reds recorded was on Ortiz at first base.
Mike Napoli stepped up with runners at second and third with one out. He grounded to first baseman Joey Votto, and Pedroia raced home from third base with the game’s first run.
Mid 1st, 0-0: Very nice first inning for Felix Doubront.
Doubront struck out Chris Heisey and Joey Votto while working a 1-2-3 first inning. Heisey went down looking at a cutter, and Votto half swung at a cutter.
Brandon Phillips grounded to Will Middlebrooks at third base to end the inning.
7:12 p.m.: Felix Doubront delivers a first-pitch strike. We’re underway at Fenway.
6:50 p.m.: Don’t forget the Boston Bruins, folks. Of course, I probably don’t need to remind you, but the Bruins and Canadiens are continuing their second-round playoff series. You can follow that action with Mike Cole’s live blog at the link below.
Click for the Bruins live blog >>
6:35 p.m.:Â Edward Mujica threw a bullpen session. John Farrell said the right-hander’s status coming out of the session will determine his availability, although it sounds like Mujica will resume his season without a DL stint.
5:15 p.m.: Mike Napoli was out of Sunday’s starting lineup — he entered defensively later in the game — but he’s penciled into John Farrell’s starting nine for Tuesday’s series opener against the Reds.
Tuesday’s complete lineups are below.
Boston Red Sox (15-17)
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Shane Victorino, RF
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Grady Sizemore, LF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
A.J. Pierzynski, C
Will Middlebrooks, 3B
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Felix Doubront, LHP (1-3, 5.70 ERA)
Cincinnati Reds (15-16)
Chris Heisey, RF
Joey Votto, 1B
Brandon Phillips, 2B
Todd Frazier, 3B
Ryan Ludwick, LF
Skip Schumaker, CF
Zack Cozart, SS
Neftali Soto, DH
Tucker Barnhart, C
Homer Bailey, RHP (2-2, 5.50 ERA)
5 p.m. ET: The Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds are unfamiliar foes.
The Sox and Reds have faced each other just six times since the beginning of interleague play — Boston’s fewest total games against any major league team in the regular season. They’ll play four times in 2014, though, and the first contest will take place Tuesday at Fenway Park.
Felix Doubront and Homer Bailey will square off in Tuesday’s series opener, which marks the first Red Sox-Reds clash since 2008. Boston is 5-1 in its six games against Cincinnati in interleague action, and the Red Sox have outscored the Reds 39-11 in those contests.
Both teams are trying to crack the .500 mark. The Red Sox have failed in their last eight attempts to reach the .500 plateau and enter Tuesday’s series opener with a 15-17 record. The Reds, meanwhile, enter with a 15-16 record, though they’ve won 12 of their last 20 games after starting the season at 3-8.
Doubront has been all over the place this season, giving the Red Sox both good and bad outings. The left-hander hasn’t won since his first start of the season on April 3, and he’ll face a $100-million pitcher who hasn’t really come into his own yet in 2014.
The Red Sox and Reds will only play two games before Boston heads to Texas for a weekend set with the Rangers. You’ll want to cherish these precious moments, and you can do so on NESN and with NESN.com’s live blog.
