Sal Romano grew up a New York Yankee fan and wanted to ruin the Boston Red Sox day.
The Red Sox, holding a three-game lead with 10 to play had other ideas. Rafael Devers three-run home run propelled Boston to a 5-4 win.
The first four Reds’ batters scored and that was the extent of their offense.
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The Red’s assaulted Rick Porcello in their fits turn. Billy Hamilton fresh from the disabled list from a left thumb fracture singled. He was running on a pitch to Zack Cozart, who drilled the ball into th right centerfield gap. Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. got close enough to the ball that Hamilton had to freeze. He had to stop at third on Cozart’s double. Joey Votto walked and the Reds had a bases loaded no out situation. Their advantage, Scooter Gennett came to the plate.
“In that type of situation, its important to jump on the first strike and make something happen,” Gennett said.“I think I’ve matured a little and try to slow those situations down, and not get too pumped up.”
Gennett lined a pitch into the rightfield stands for his 27th home run and fourth grand slam. He became the first Reds’ in history to hit four in a season. It was his fifth career grand slam.
“Scooter is a nice topic," Bryan Price said. "He’s been a really good topic to talk about. Sometimes its a flair for the dramatic. Porcello is a 20-game winner, a Cy Young winner and the first pitch he sees he hits a grand slam. Some people are really comfortable in that environment. I’m sure he wasn’t trying to hit a grand slam. It is amazing how often he gets the barrel of the bat on the ball in big RBI situations.”
Gennett has played in 20 fewer games than Votto and has 93 RBI, just three fewer. He is the first player since Ernie Banks hit Albert Pujols tied Ernie Banks with five grand slams in a season in 2009. He is the only player besides Lou Gehrig to have a four homerun game (1932) and hit four grand slams in a season (1934). Earlier this year he joined Babe Ruth as the only players to hit their 20th home run and pitch in the same game. Ruth never hit four home runs in a game.
“That’s crazy. That’s baseball. Anything can happen. It’s a little small and not as well known to be in that group. That’s crazy,.” said Gennett, who was born near Cincinnati
Romano retired eight of the next night batters. Devers doubled, beating the throw by Adam Duvall but popped off the base for a 7-4 putout in the second.
The Red Sox took the lead in the fourth. Betts led off with a double. Moreland walked. Christian Vazquez doubled home Betts with Moreland stopping at third. Devers hit his ninth home run.
“It was a curveball," Romano said. "I threw two pretty good ones prior to that. He was able to take it and foul the other one off. I don’t know how he was able to get that one. I wanted to make the same pitch, a little more down. I hung it.”
Romano was removed for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the inning. He allowed five runs on five hits and four walks over four innings.
“He did a really good job of getting out of that first inning and here we go. Then Scooter comes on and hits a grand slam and we have a good feeling,” Price said. “I thought Sal did a really good job of battling but it caught up with him in that fourth inning.”
“I hung a few breaking balls," Romano said. "I was happy to get out of the first with just one run. Scooter came up with the grand slam. My job is to hold them. I got in some trouble and made some bad pitches. You’ve just got to learn from it.”
The Red Sox replaced Porcello after four innings with David Price. Pocello was charged with four runs on four hits and three walks.
Ariel Hernandez and Asher Wojciechowski kept the Red Sox where they were but Price and Addison Reed held off the Reds.
Boston carried the thin lead into the ninth.
Deck McGuire entered to pitch the ninth for the Reds.
“We threw all rookies tonight," Price said. "They held their own. It was a nice five innings of shutout baseball by three rookies that kept us in the game. We made a push late in the game to score some runs and it didn’t happen.”
Former Atlanta Braves closer Craig Kimbrell came on for his 34th save against four blown saves. Kimbrell turned in his 10th straight scoreless outing.
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