Game Date:        5/8/04
Leagues:          Rookie
Reds 20    Red Sox 18
 

Description:

For the second straight game, the Reds turned a solid first inning defensive performance into a lead they never relinquished as they won their second straight game, 20-18, over the Red Sox and their high-powered offensive machine.

The Sox' Tyler Macon singled home Langdon Johnson with the first run of the game, and the Red Sox tallied their fifth run of the first inning when Nick Newman grounded out to the Reds T.C. Falkner at first, scoring Stephen Wible.  But with two out and runners in scoring position at first and second, the Sox were denied any further runs when Reds pitcher Joey Rice threw to T.C. for the final out.

In the first two innings, Joey would link up with T.C. three times for outs.

The Reds rallied for seven runs in their half of the second, highlighted by a three-run home run by T.C. - the Reds' first home run of the year - that scored Donovan Brady and Tyler Jones.  After one inning, the Reds had the lead, 7-5.

Both teams scored seven times in the second.  With the Reds outfield doing a marvelous job of tracking down deep hits to limit the Sox' sluggers to singles, the Sox "nickle-and-dime'd" their way to a 12-7 lead by rapping out eight singles.  But the Reds responded in their half of the inning to quickly regain the advantage.  Sam Riemer, Joey Rice, and Kyle Blair hit three straight doubles to key the inning. 

The Sox kept the pressure up in the third inning.  After Tyler Macon and Josh Karlen led off the inning with singles, Spencer Shofner doubled to score Macon.  But although the Red Sox kept up the attack at the plate, the Reds' defense kept some runs off the scoreboard as Jack Newcomer, playing third, snared two ground balls and forced two runners at third base.  Those two plays were critical as the final margin was just two runs.

For the game, the Reds recorded seven outs against the Sox.

Leading 18-14, the Red Sox needed a defensive stop.  They were able to get three outs against the Reds in the bottom of the third, but the final out came too little, too late.  Donovan led off with a double, and scored the first run of the inning moments later off a T.C. Falkner single.  Kyle Blair doubled home two runs to pull the Reds to within one, and Isaac Fields singled home Joey Rice to tie the game at 18.  With one out and the go-ahead runner (Kyle) on third, Shaun Montgomery stepped to the plate and drilled an RBI single straight up the middle to score the winning run.   In the Reds' last at-bat, Josh Hurt singled home Isaac to account for the final score of 20-18.