BOSTON (AP) — Bryan Reynolds arrived at spring training wondering how long he’d remain in a Pirates uniform after failing to garner a longterm contract and requesting a trade.
He’s making an early case for his team to make an investment.
Reynolds hit a pair solo home runs, Jason Delay added another and Pittsburgh edged the Boston Red Sox 7-6 on Monday night.
On a mild evening in which the teams combined for six home runs, Masataka Yoshida hit his first since joining the Red Sox from Japan’s Orix Buffaloes. Yoshida and Triston Casas had two-run drives and Rafael Devers added a solo shot.
Reynolds had his fourth multihomer game, his first since last Aug. 12 at home against Boston. He is the first National League player to hit multiple home runs in consecutive games against Boston.
Still, Reynolds said his start has at least partially a refuge from the spotlight he put on himself in the offseason.
“These games are a grind, so I wouldn’t necessarily call it a calm little walk on the beach,” Reynolds said. “But It’s good to get on the field, away from everything and play against the best.”
Pirates starter Johan Oviedo and Boston’s Kutter Crawford had short nights.
Ovideo gave up five runs — four earned — and six hits in 4 2/3 innings. Half the hits off him were home runs. Crawford (0-1) needed 32 pitches to get through the first inning and lasted four innings. He yielded seven runs and eight hits, including three homers.
Boston has allowed 30 runs in four games.
“This is different, man. I’ve never anything like this so early in the season,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “The ball is flying here.”
Duane Underwood Jr. (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for his first win this season. David Bednar came on in the ninth an allowed a single but got his second save.
“I think it speaks to what our identify can be,” Reynolds said.
After falling behind 3-0 in the first, Boston scored five runs in the bottom half on the home runs by Devers, Yoshida and Casas. Yoshida, 29, signed a $90 million, five-year contract in Boston’s biggest offseason move.
Reynolds cut the gap to 5-4 with a second-inning homer and Justin Suwinski tied the score with an RBI single in the third.
Delay led off the fourth with his first home run this season and second of his career, and Reynolds homered two batters later for a 7-5 lead.
A misplay by Devers helped the Pirates take the early lead. With one out Reynolds dropped a bloop single behind second base. Ji Man Choi got aboard after his fly ball to shallow left field was lost in the twilight by Devers and found the grass for a hit.
Ke’Bryan Hayes hit an RBI single off the newly enlarged first base bag and Canaan Smith-Njigba hit a two-run double off the Green Monster.
SLOW STARTS
Boston’s starters have allowed 22 earned runs over 15 1/3 innings this season.
UP NEXT
Pirates: RHP Roansy Contreras makes his season debut. He ranked fifth among all National League rookies in ERA (3.79) and strikeouts (86), and third in batting average against (.225) in 2022.
Red Sox: RHP NIck Pivetta first start comes after a 2022 season in which he set career highs in wins (10), starts (33) and innings (179 2/3).
