Yoenis Cespedes hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning, lifting the Boston Red Sox to a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
One pitch after ducking away from Jonathan Broxton’s high-and-inside fastball, Cespedes launched a no-doubt, 433-foot drive to center field with two outs and Brock Holt on second base to give Boston back-to-back victories for the first time since a five-game winning streak from July 13-20.
Cespedes hit his 19th homer of the season and second with Boston — one in each of the last two games. He has reached base at least once in all nine games he’s played for the Red Sox since they acquired him from Oakland in a trade.
Tommy Layne (1-0) got the final out of the seventh inning for the win.
Kojo Uehara pitched the ninth for his 26th save.
Boston starter Joe Kelly opened the interleague game with seven straight balls. When he finally threw a strike to Jay Bruce, Billy Hamilton stole second and went to third on catcher Christian Vazquez’s throwing error.
Kelly walked Bruce, setting up Todd Frazier’s RBI single. Devin Mesoraco, who hit a grand slam and two-run homer while setting a career high with six RBIs in Cincinnati’s 7-2 win over Miami on Sunday, followed with a run-scoring hit.
Mat Latos (5-3) retired 11 straight batters before Daniel Nava led off the seventh with a double. Xander Bogaerts snapped a 0-for-15 slump with an RBI single.
Latos gave up five hits and one run with one walk and five strikeouts in seven innings.
Kelly allowed five hits and two runs with three walks and four strikeouts in six innings as the Red Sox improved to 4-3 on their eight-game road trip.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: RHP Anthony Ranaudo makes his second major league appearance and first against a National League team when he starts at Cincinnati on Wednesday.
Reds: RHP Mike Leake makes his second start of the season against Boston on Wednesday. He left with a 3-2 lead but the Reds lost 4-3 at Fenway Park on May 7.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Manager John Farrell is pleased with the progress shown by C David Ross and RF Allen Craig as they increase baseball activities. Both have been on the DL since August 2, Ross with right planter fasciitis and Craig with a left foot sprain.
Reds: RHP Homer Bailey’s sore elbow prompted the Reds to push his next scheduled start from Wednesday against Boston to Saturday at Colorado.