Eduardo Rodriguez Blanks Reds - Red Sox Near Clinch

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Mitch Moreland broke open a 1-0 game with a three-run home run in the sixth inning to edge the Boston Red Sox closer to a division title with a 5-0 win.

It was the fifth straight loss for the Reds, 0-5 on the last homestand of the season.

Bob Stephenson got his next to last start of the season against the AL East leading Red Sox.

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His mound opponent was Eduardo Rodriguez, who shut the Reds out through 7 2/3  innings.  Carson Smith relieved him with a runner on and two outs in the eighth

The two dueled in the sun for five innings. 

For the second straight games Xander Bogaerts led off the game with a hit, this time a double.  He went to third on a rare passed ball by Tucker Barnhart and scored the unearned run on a sacrifice fly by Brock Holt.

Rodriguez held the Reds hitless in three innings.  Joey Votto reached base for the 305th time this season with a single to left.  Cincinnati native Andrew Benintendi threw to second and Votto’s slide was short.

The Reds didn’t get their second hit until Scooter Gennett opened the fifth with a single.

Stephenson cracked in the sixth.  He muffed Holt’s comebacker to the mound for an error.  He walked Benintendi, then gave up Moreland’s 20th home run of the season.  He ended with six innings, two earned runs (4 total) in six innings on four hits and two walks, one intentional

"I wasn't disappointed in his outing," Bryan Price said.  "He's heading in the right direction.

The error may have caused his lapse in focus.

"I was upset with myself," Stephenson said.  "i lost concentration for a little bit. I walked the next batter and hung a split for the home run. Until then its was the most efficient games I pitched all year."

"One of the challenges in this game is once you make a mistake, getting past it," Price said.

Benintendi got his first hit of the series to plate a run in the seventh.  Amir Garrett in relief of Stephenson got the first two outs quickly, then walked Bogaerts and Holt.  Benintendi singled to left.  Bogaerts crossed the plate, just before.Adam Duvall’s throw to third nailed Holt.

Luke Farrell came in to pitch the Boston ninth inning while his father Red Sox’ manager John Farrell watched from the dugout.  Farrell walked two and struck out one in a scoreless frame.

'It was a cool moment," Farrell said.  "I took a couple glances over there while I was warming up.  Once the inning started, I was focused on getting outs.  It is new for me to come out of the bullpen.  It is key for me to get the first pitch strike and the first batter out."

Farrell has plans for dinner with his father this evening.

"Hopefully, he'll buy," Farrell said.