Reds Notch First Victory in 11 Innings Over Red Sox

Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

March 28, 2026

Reds 6, Red Sox 5

The Cincinnati Reds secured their first win of the season, 6–5, in 11 innings over the Boston Red Sox inside Great American Ballpark Saturday. Matt McLain was hard to get out, going 3-for-4 with two walks. Wilyer Abreu went 2-for-5 with two RBI, including a game-tying home run in the ninth inning to bring the game to extras.

Red Sox-Reds Game Summary

The Reds wasted no time jumping all over Red Sox starter Sonny Gray, getting runners on first and second with no outs. Despite Elly De La Cruz grounding out, Sal Stewart came up behind him and drove in TJ Friedl with an RBI single for the Reds’ first run of the 2026 season.

Gray also didn’t help himself out. After Eugenio Suarez hit a grounder back to him, Gray had Matt McLain dead to rights in between third and home. Instead of throwing to Carlos Narvaez at home, he tried to tag McLain out himself. Alas, he was unsuccessful, allowing McLain to score.

The Reds added to it in the next inning, as a throwing error from Trevor Story came back to haunt the Red Sox. Gray hung a sweeper to McLain, who drove it to center field for a double, scoring Ke’Bryan Hayes. Luckily, the Red Sox responded rather quickly. After Roman Anthony struck out looking, Trevor Story hit a 402-foot bomb to notch the first home run for the Red Sox of the year.

Stewart hit a bomb on a high and inside fastball to make it 4–1 in the bottom of the third. Despite this, Boston responded in kind. A two-out rally helped plate two runs via a Roman Anthony RBI single and a wild pitch from Brady Singer.

Bullpen Game

De La Cruz hit the second leadoff home run of the game for the Reds in the fifth inning off of Greg Weissert to make it 5–3. The next inning, Danny Coulombe ran into some trouble with two outs in the sixth inning. Ryan Watson, making his major league debut, would take over. He walked Stewart to load the bases, before Eugenio Suarez came up to hit. Despite two successful ABS challenges on what were called third strikes, Suarez grounded out to second to end the inning.

Trevor Story had a chance to tie or take the lead with two runners on and two outs in the eighth inning. Unfortunately, he check-swung on a 3–2 pitch, which CB Bucknor didn’t allow an appeal for. Story was furious, as Red Sox manager Alex Cora got ejected for standing up for Story.

Emilio Pagan struck Jarren Duran and Willson Contreras out in the ninth. Down to their last out, Abreu hit a high-arcing fly ball over the right field fence to tie the game at 5–5. Aroldis Chapman took care of business in the bottom half to give the crowd extra innings.

Extra Innings

Connor Phillips pitched the 10th and fanned two batters during a 1-2-3 inning. Garrett Whitlock also notched a 1-2-3 in the bottom half. Phillips took care of business once more in the 10th, as Justin Slaten took the bump for the 11th. Dane Myers wound up the hero with a pinch-hit single to drive in Friedl for the win.

What Went Right for the Red Sox

Great Debut for Watson

Watson went 2 1/3 innings, giving up no hits and three walks. Most importantly, he was able to take those innings so the top relievers in the Red Sox’ bullpen could pitch in the last three innings.

What Went Wrong for the Red Sox

Gray & Weissert Underwhelm

It was certainly not a great start for Gray. Four innings, six hits and four runs, three of them earned. It doesn’t help that Weissert reverted back to his September 2025 form this game.

Looking Ahead

The series will conclude on Sunday at 1:40 pm Eastern. It’ll be a battle of top 100 prospects, as Connelly Early and Rhett Lowder take the bump for the final game of the series.