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Red Sox reactions: Garrett Crochet dominates, Roman Anthony makes history in win
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- Red Sox reactions: Garrett Crochet dominates, Roman Anthony makes history in win
CINCINNATI — Instant reactions from the Red Sox ' 3-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Thursday:
1.Ace Garrett Crochet struggled throughout spring training, allowing 12 runs on 15 hits in 14 ⅔ innings across four starts. But he turned into his typical dominant self once the calendar flipped to the regular season. He tossed 6 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out eight.
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2.Crochet's velocity ticked up. His 63 four-seam fastballs during spring training averaged 95.6 mph. Against the Reds, his 30 four-seam fastballs averaged 96.9 mph and he topped out at 98.3 mph.
3.Crochet pitched out of a jam in the sixth inning. The Reds loaded the bases with one out on a walk and two singles. But Crochet struck out both Eugenio Suárez and Spencer Steer swinging on cutters.
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4.The Red Sox took a 1-0 lead in the seventh inning. Pinch hitter Marcelo Mayer led off with a double. Carlos Narváez 's sacrifice bunt moved him to third base. Ceddanne Rafaela then plated Mayer on a one-out line drive single to center field with the infield drawn in.
5.Mayer again started Boston 's rally in the eighth inning with a leadoff single to left field. Roman Anthony walked with two outs after a successful ABS challenge overturned a strike call into ball four. Trevor Story then singled home Mayer. Jarren Duran added an RBI single to make it 3-0.
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6.Anthony hit the first pitch of the season into center field for a single. It left his bat at 112.3 mph. He singled to left field in the third inning and hit a 110.2 mph infield single off first baseman Sal Stewart's wrist in the fifth inning. At 21 years, 317 days old, Anthony became the youngest Red Sox player ever to reach base in Boston's first plate appearance of the year, per J.P. Long . He's also the first Red Sox player age 21 years or younger to record three hits in a season opener since Tony Conigliaro in 1965, according to Long . Long also noted that Anthony is the youngest Red Sox with multiple hits on Opening Day since Dwight Evans in 1973 .
7. Justin Slaten walked the first batter he faced with Boston ahead 1-0 in the seventh. But he then retired the next three hitters, including striking out both Will Benson and TJ Friedl swinging. Garrett Whitlock pitched a scoreless eighth.
8.Four of Boston's seven hits against Reds starter Andrew Abbott were infield singles.
9.Abbott pitched six scoreless innings, allowing seven hits and one walk while striking out four.
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10.The Red Sox made their first ABS challenge and it was successful. Carlos Narváez challenged a 2-2 cutter to Eugenio Suárez that clipped the bottom of the strike zone. It was initially called a ball by home plate umpire Dan Iassogna. The call was overturned, resulting in a strikeout to end the inning.
11.The Red Sox have Friday off. They play again Saturday against the Reds here at Great American Ball Park. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. Red Sox righty Sonny Gray will start opposite Cincinnati righty Brady Singer .
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