BASEBALL: Eugenio Suarez belts 3-run shot to lift Reds over Red Sox

Eugenio Suarez delivered the decisive blow with a three-run homer in the sixth inning, lifting the Cincinnati Reds to a 3-2 victory over the visiting Boston Red Sox in the rubber match of their interleague series on Sunday.

Suarez’s go-ahead shot erased a two-run deficit and provided all the offense Cincinnati needed, as the Reds secured their first home series win against Boston in decades. Rookie Sal Stewart continued his scorching start, collecting two hits and drawing two walks to raise his average to .700 through his first three major league games.

Boston struck first in the fourth inning when Wilyer Abreu launched a two-run homer to right-center field off Reds starter Rhett Lowder, giving the Red Sox a 2-0 lead. The rally was sparked by Willson Contreras, who lined a one-hop single past shortstop Elly De La Cruz.

Lowder, making his first major league start since Sept. 28, 2024, responded well after the homer. The right-hander, who missed the entire 2025 season due to oblique, forearm and shoulder injuries, allowed just three hits and two runs over five innings while striking out five and walking two.

Boston starter Connelly Early was equally impressive early on, holding Cincinnati scoreless through five innings while scattering four hits. However, the Reds broke through in the sixth. Matt McLain opened the frame with a single before Early struck out De La Cruz. Reliever Greg Weissert then issued a walk to Stewart, setting the stage for Suarez’s towering drive to the upper deck in left field.

Early was charged with one run over 5 1/3 innings, allowing five hits while striking out six and walking two. Weissert (0-1) took the loss after surrendering the decisive homer.

Cincinnati’s bullpen preserved the lead the rest of the way. Left-hander Brock Burke (1-0) earned the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. Tony Santillan provided a key defensive moment in the eighth inning, picking off Jarren Duran to erase a potential scoring threat.

Emilio Pagan closed out the game with a scoreless ninth inning, earning his first save of the season and rebounding from a blown save opportunity the previous day.

With wins in the final two games of the series, the Reds not only claimed the set but also improved their historically poor record at home against Boston. It marked Cincinnati’s first home series win over the Red Sox since taking two of three games at Riverfront Stadium during the 1975 World Series. The victory also represented just the second time the Reds have won a regular-season series against Boston since interleague play between the clubs began in 2005. -Field Level Media/Reuters