Ever since the Reds won Game 7 of the iconic 1975 World Series in fabulous Fenway, baseball’s version of the Mona Lisa has been a lost cause for the Reds.
In two interleague visits, they never won a game. And since ‘75 the Reds were 1-12 against the Boston Red Sox.
Luis Castillo, Alexis Diaz, Hunter Strickland and Santillan made certain that nonsense ended by holding the heavy-hitting Red Sox four hits, three coming in the ninth inning for a victory acquired when both Reds runs scored on throwing errors.
Castillo, pitching on the same mound where his pitching hero, Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez worked his change-up magic, did a perfect imitation of Martinez.
Over six innings, Castillo held the Bosox to no runs and one hit while striking out 10. Diaz retired all four he faced.
For five innings, it was a practically impeccable pitching display by Cincinnati’s Luis Castillo and Boston’s Michael Wacha.
Wacha retired the first 12 Reds he faced and not a ball reached the outffield until the 12th batter, Nick Senzel flied to right.
Cincinnati’s first hit and first base-runner nearly gave the Reds a 1-0 lead. Joey Votto led the fifth with a drive to right center that hit the top of the low wall and bounced back onto the field for a double.
And it was Cincinnati’s first hit in Fenway Park in 47 years, a Joe Morgan single in Game 7 of that ‘75 World Series.
But Tyler Stephenson flied to shallow right and Kyle Farmer grounded to first, sending Votto to third. Mike Moustakas stranded Votto by lining to center.
Even though he gave up a one-out single in the first to Rafael Devers in the first, Castillo was more dazzling.
Through five innings he gave up the one hit and one walk while striking out nine Bosox with his disappearing change-up.
Then came an adventuresome sixth inning for both sides.
Albert Almora Jr. and Matt Reynolds opened the Reds’ sixth with singles, putting runners on third and first with no outs. Aristides Aquino grounded hard to third and Almora was caught off third in a rundown.
Brandon Drury popped up and Nick Senzel grounded weakly to third. The third out? Nope. Third baseman Devers threw the ball away and Reynolds scored for a 1-0 lead.
Strangely, after the throwing error, Boston manager Alex Cora lifted Wacha, even though he had given up only one run and three hits and used up only 72 pitches.
Then Castillo, who had been letter-perfect in the strike zone for five innings, couldn’t find home plate in the sixth. He threw nine straight balls, walking No. 9 hitter Jackie Bradley Jr. and leadoff hitter Kike Hernandez, putting two on with no outs. But Devers grounded into a double play and J.D. Martinez struck out, Castillo’s 10th strikeout.
And Castillo was done. In six innings he gave up no runs, one hit, three walks, 10 strikeouts and the magic 100 pitches.
The Reds threatened in the seventh when they got two-out singles from Almora and Reynolds.
But Aquino struck out on three pitches.
Aquino entered the game in the fourth when Tyler Naquin suffered a quadriceps strain while batting. And Tommy Pham was in the original lineup, but was scratched with left calf discomfort.
Votto was robbed by a wall for the second time, this time by the 37-foot Green Monster in left field. With two outs in the eighth, he hit one to the top lip of the wall and it bounced back in play, a double that tied Barry Larkin on the team’s all-time doubles list.
The Reds added a run in the ninth on another Boston throwing error. Mike Moustakas singled with one out and Alejo Lopez ran for him. Almora grounded to third, moving Lopez to second.
Reynolds drove on to deep short that
Xander Bogaerts dove to stop. But his throw skipped past first base and Lopez scored the Reds’ second unearned run.
And it was a big run.
Santillan got two strikes on both Kike Hernandez and Devers to open the ninth, but Hernandez singled up the middle of Devers doubled off The Gree Monter.
That put the potential tying run on second with no outs. Santillan caught J.D. Martinez looking at strike three. Bogaerts flied to shallow center for the second out.
Alex Verdugo bounced one off first baseman Joey Votto’s glove, generously ruled an infield hit as Hernandez scored.
Second baseman Matt Reynolds backed up
Votto, preventing Verdugo’s ball from skittering into right field and forced Devers to stop at third.
And Santillan ended it with his strikeout of Story.
About the Author