Red Sox rally to beat the Reds 5-3 on July 3, 2025, as Wilyer Abreu's clutch hit and Aroldis Chapman's 350th save cap a dramatic suspended game comeback.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It took more than a day to finish, but the Boston Red Sox made the wait worthwhile, storming back in a suspended game to defeat the Cincinnati Reds 5-3 on Thursday afternoon. In a wild affair that resumed in the fourth inning, Wilyer Abreu played the hero yet again, delivering a go-ahead eighth-inning single that propelled the Sox to their third win in four games and brought them to the brink of a .500 record.
350 career saves. Aroldis Chapman joins an elite club, cementing his legacy as one of the game's great closers.
Picking things up in the fourth inning on a sunny Thursday, the Sox found themselves in a 3-2 hole after a Spencer Steer homer off Brayan Bello, who entered in long relief. But Boston's bats refused to stay quiet. Carlos Narváez tied the game with a savvy sacrifice fly in the sixth, setting the stage for a dramatic eighth inning. Wilyer Abreu, the man of the hour, laced a single to score the go-ahead run, and Trevor Story followed with a booming RBI double for a crucial insurance run. It was a textbook display of late-inning execution from a team desperate to build momentum.
What a week it's been for Wilyer Abreu. After becoming just the sixth player in MLB history to hit an inside-the-park home run and a grand slam in the same game earlier this series, he added another clutch moment to his highlight reel. His tiebreaking single in the eighth wasn't just the game-winner; it was a continuation of a historic offensive tear that has single-handedly sparked the Red Sox lineup. He's not just getting hits; he's delivering them when the pressure is highest.
While Abreu provided the winning offense, Aroldis Chapman provided the history. The 'Cuban Missile' was called upon for the ninth and shut the door for his 15th save of the season. More significantly, it was the 350th save of his illustrious career. It's a monumental achievement that places him among the most dominant closers in baseball history and provides a steady, if nerve-wracking, anchor to a bullpen in flux.
The win was a full-team effort, especially from the pitching staff. Brayan Bello's five-inning relief appearance was unconventional but vital, keeping the Sox in the game after the early deficit. His performance highlights the creativity the team needs amid ongoing bullpen shuffles. With Justin Slaten and Luis Guerrero still on the IL, the recent activation of lefty Chris Murphy and the temporary addition of Cooper Criswell as the 27th man are critical pieces. The bullpen remains a work in progress, making every lockdown inning, like Chapman's historic one, all the more valuable.
With the team now just one game shy of .500, this gritty win feels like more than just another tally in the column. It's a sign of life, a display of resilience, and a burst of momentum heading into the holiday weekend. Can the Sox ride this wave, overcome their bullpen woes, and finally climb back to even ground? The next few games will be crucial in defining this pivotal stretch of the season.
