Christian Encarnacion-Strand's first career grand slam lifts the Reds over the Red Sox 8-4 on July 3, 2025, capping a wild rally to avoid a series sweep.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
What a difference a few hours can make. After a frustrating afternoon loss to complete a suspended game, the Cincinnati Reds flipped the script on Wednesday night. Staring down a sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox, the team found its hero in the most dramatic fashion possible: a go-ahead, first-career grand slam from a slumping Christian Encarnacion-Strand to power an 8-4 victory.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand was hitting just .157 in his last 15 games. Then, with one swing, he launched his first career grand slam to give the Reds a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
The nightcap felt like it was slipping away until the bottom of the seventh. Down 4-3, the Reds' offense exploded for five runs, capped by the swing of the night. Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who had fouled a ball off his foot earlier in the day and was mired in a deep slump, stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and delivered a no-doubt grand slam off Greg Weissert. It was a cathartic moment for the 25-year-old first baseman, who finished the night 2-for-5 and provided the decisive blow. The rally, which also saw RBIs from Elly De La Cruz, TJ Friedl, and Santiago Espinal, secured a crucial win and salvaged the series.
While CES stole the late-game headlines, the Reds' other stars continued to shine. Earlier in the day, during the 5-3 loss in the resumed game from July 1st, Spencer Steer provided the offense with a two-run homer. It was another notch in an incredible stretch for Steer, who is slashing a blistering .442 with four homers over his last 11 games. Not to be outdone, Elly De La Cruz remains one of the most dangerous hitters in the league, batting .370 with six home runs since June 9. Their consistent production is the engine that has powered the Reds to wins in five of their last six series.
On the mound, starter Nick Martinez battled through 6 2/3 innings to earn his sixth win of the season. He wasn't perfect, allowing four runs on nine hits, but he kept the Reds in the game and handed the ball over to the bullpen with a lead. The win was a testament to the club's improved starting pitching, a key factor in their recent success. Now, the team turns its attention to a tough road series against the Philadelphia Phillies, with their ace, Andrew Abbott, set to take the ball on Friday. Abbott will look to continue his phenomenal season, bringing a 7-1 record and a sparkling 1.79 ERA into the matchup.
The present looks exciting, and the future is just as promising. MLB Pipeline recently reaffirmed the strength of Cincinnati's player development, ranking the Reds' farm system 11th in all of baseball. The system is headlined by Top 100 prospect Cam Collier and features a wealth of talent in players like Sal Stewart and Chase Petty. Highlighting that depth, two of the organization's top arms, Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder, have been selected to represent the Reds at the upcoming All-Star Futures Game, offering fans a glimpse of the next wave of talent.
Splitting a doubleheader is never the goal, but the way the Reds salvaged Wednesday feels like a massive win. With stars like Steer and De La Cruz firing on all cylinders and a player like Encarnacion-Strand providing a moment of pure magic, the team showed its resilience. Now, they face a major test on the road in Philadelphia. With Andrew Abbott on the mound to kick things off, the Reds have a chance to prove their recent surge is the real deal.
