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Wilyer Abreu has grand slam, inside-the-park HR as Red Sox beat Reds
Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Wilyer Abreu hit two home runs and the Boston Red Sox scored seven runs in the first inning en route to a 13-6 victory over the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Monday night.

Abreu hit an inside-the-park home run in the fifth and a grand slam in the eighth. Trevor Story and Jarren Duran also homered for Boston in the victory.

Cincinnati starting pitcher Chase Burns, the No. 2 pick in last year's MLB draft, made his second major league start, but was pulled from the mound with one out in the first inning. Burns (0-1) allowed seven runs (five earned) on five hits and two walks.

Story's three-run homer highlighted Boston's seven-run first inning, which included an RBI single from Abraham Toro, an RBI double from Carlos Narvaez, an RBI single from David Hamilton and a run-scoring single from Roman Anthony.

Each of the nine batters in Boston's starting lineup had at least one hit, totaling 14.

Garrett Crochet (8-4) gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits in six innings, but earned the win. He struck out nine and walked one.

Austin Hays hit a solo home run and a two-run triple for Cincinnati.

The Reds scored three runs in the fourth to trim their deficit to 7-3. Hays' triple scored Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz before he scored on Spencer Steer's groundout.

Cincinnati made it 7-4 on McLain's RBI single in the fifth, but Abreu's inside-the-park home run increased Boston's lead to 8-4 in the bottom of the fifth. His long drive to center field took a high bounce off the wall, allowing Abreu to jet home.

Cincinnati was within three again in the sixth after Hays' deep homer to center, but Boston extended its lead to 9-5 on Duran's home run in its half of the sixth.

Abreu's grand slam stretched Boston's advantage to 13-5 before Christian Encarnacion-Strand capped the scoring when he raced home from third on McLain's infield single in the ninth.

Boston rookie Marcelo Mayer, who missed last weekend's three-game series against Toronto while on bereavement leave, was back with the team and started at third base.

This article first appeared on Field Level Media and was syndicated with permission.

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