Postgame Takeaways: Cincinnati Reds Beat Boston Red Sox 5-2, Take First Game of Series

The Cincinnati Reds beat the Boston Red Sox 5-2 on Friday night, ending Boston's five-game winning streak.

The win improves the Reds to 36-39 while the Red Sox fall to 40-36.

Here are our postgame takeaways:

Andrew Abbott Dominates

Abbott hasn't been a big strikeout pitcher so far in 2024, but he was on Friday night, striking out 10 batters in 5 2/3 innings. He gave up two runs on four hits and walked one batter. Abbott's ERA dropped to 3.40 on the season.

Home Run Paradise

On a hot night in Cincinnati, it was a power hitter's paradise at Great American Ball Park on Friday night. Between the two teams, there were five solo home runs in the first three innings. Jeimer Candelario started it out with his 13th of the season in the bottom of the first. In the second, Jonathan India hit a ball into the left-field seats for his fifth of the year. Then, in the third inning, Candelario went deep again, his 14th of the season and his eighth home run in June.

Bullpen Holds the Lead

The Reds bullpen has gotten the job done all season long. It was no different on Friday. Fernando Cruz entered for Abbott in the sixth inning with a man on second and two outs. He got Connor Wong to strike out swinging. Sam Moll pitched a perfect seventh inning. Nick Martinez gave up a hit in the eighth, but that was it. Alexis Diaz pitched the ninth, allowing a hit before slamming the door for his 17th save of the season.

News and Notes

• Candelario's eight home runs in June are the second-most in Major League Baseball.
• The Reds played add-on in the seventh inning when two runs scored on a safety squeeze play by TJ Friedl.
• Reds pitchers struck out 14 batters on the night and only walked one.
• The Reds are 31-1 when leading after six innings this season.