Red Sox Struggle in Nail-Biting Loss Against Reds at Fenway Park

BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox fell short in a dramatic game against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, losing 8-4 after leading by three runs through six innings.

Right fielder Roman Anthony played a key role in the loss, as he accepted blame for a pivotal miscommunication during the Reds’ three-run eighth inning. With runners on first and second, a fly ball from Christian Encarnacion-Strand dropped between him and second baseman Marcelo Mayer.

“Just bad communication on my end,” Anthony said. “I’m the outfielder coming in. He’s going back, and the ball just kind of stayed up. So I gotta make that play and gotta make that throw at the very least. But that one’s on me.”

Anthony also threw an errant ball to second base, loading the bases and setting the stage for Cincinnati’s offense. Following this miscue, Santiago Espinal contributed an RBI single, giving the Reds a crucial 6-4 lead.

Earlier in the game, Red Sox first baseman José Abreu made headlines by hitting Boston’s first inside-the-park home run since 2011. Abreu connected on a fastball from Cincinnati’s reliever, crushing the ball 423 feet to center field.

“It was a great moment for the team, but it’s frustrating to come up short,” Abreu said following the game. “We have to learn to close out games like this.”

With Trevor Story’s fielding error compounding the mistakes, the Reds extended their lead to 8-4. Story misplayed a grounder hit by TJ Friedl, allowing another run to score.

“We’ve got to do a better job in crucial moments,” Mayer said. “I threw it to third, and obviously that didn’t work out. Just a weird play.”

The Red Sox are now focusing on what went wrong, with Anthony acknowledging that the little mistakes can have big consequences. “You can make all the great plays you want, but those little plays late in the game are the ones that kind of sting the most,” he said.