Boston outfielder Wilyer Abreu put on a remarkable show at Fenway Park on Sunday night, delivering a performance not seen in Major League Baseball in over 65 years. In a 13–6 win over the Cincinnati Reds, Abreu became the first player since Roger Maris in 1958 to hit both a grand slam and an inside-the-park home run in the same game.
Abreu’s inside-the-park homer came in the fifth inning after he sent a ball deep to center field. It caromed off the wall and slipped past two Reds outfielders, giving him enough time to race around the bases and score. Later in the eighth inning, with the bases loaded, he blasted a grand slam into the right-field stands to break open what had been a competitive game. The two-homer, six-RBI night marked a career high for the 24-year-old rookie.
Boston’s offense was relentless throughout the game, racking up 13 runs on 13 hits. While starter Kutter Crawford was pulled after just four innings, the Red Sox bullpen held firm, allowing only one run over the final five frames. Cincinnati’s bullpen, by contrast, struggled to contain Boston’s late surge, particularly in the eighth inning when Abreu’s grand slam turned a close contest into a blowout.
The victory completed a three-game sweep for the Red Sox, who improved to 42–44 on the season and continue to gain ground in the AL Wild Card race. For Abreu, it was not only a historic night but also a breakout performance that could solidify his role in Boston’s outfield moving forward.
