BOSTON -- Shortly after 9 p.m. on Tuesday, No. 1 Reds prospect Elly De La Cruz crushed a two-run walk-off homer in Louisville, Ky., against the Red Sox¡¯s Triple-A affiliate Worcester.

Twenty minutes later and 820 miles away, Jose Barrero gave the Reds a big cushion with a grand slam that ricocheted off a light pole above the Green Monster in Cincinnati¡¯s 9-8 win over Boston at Fenway Park.

¡°That was like a video game home run,¡± said Will Benson, who went 3-for-5 with his first career triple.

Entering the series opener, Benson had just two hits in 12 games this season. The outfielder¡¯s three hits and three runs scored were both career highs, joining Barrero, who also notched a career-high four RBIs.

So while Reds fans await the callup of De La Cruz, ranked the No. 4 prospect in the Majors by MLB Pipeline, there¡¯s still plenty to be excited about.

Barrero didn¡¯t enter the game until the fourth inning, when he replaced TJ Friedl, who exited with left hamstring tightness after legging it out to first on a fielder¡¯s choice in the second. Barrero walked in his first plate appearance before crushing a 2-0 sinker from Red Sox reliever Joely Rodr¨ªguez for his first career slam.

¡°Very happy. 100 percent that was a great home run. It was my first grand slam and my first time here in Fenway, too, so it was a really great experience,¡± Barrero said through translator Jorge Merlos. ¡°But the most important thing is that the team won.¡±

Barrero played 209 innings at shortstop this season before the Reds called up Matt McLain, their No. 5 prospect, on May 15. McLain, who was named the NL Player of the Week on Tuesday, figures to be a mainstay in Cincinnati¡¯s infield for the foreseeable future.

In the outfield, however, the Reds have much less depth. Just three of their top 20 prospects are outfielders -- Jay Allen II (No. 12), Rece Hinds (No. 17) and Ariel Almonte (No. 20) -- with none having played above Double-A, and two of their big league outfield options are on the injured list: Wil Myers (left shoulder sprain) and Henry Ramos (right hip strain).

¡°[Barrero is] a big part of our team,¡± manager David Bell said. ¡°Even though he¡¯s not starting every game, there¡¯s opportunities coming off the bench, there¡¯s starts that he¡¯s had and will continue to get. He just has to stay ready. That¡¯s his job, and he has a great attitude toward that and that helps you play better when you do get your opportunity.¡±

Barrero showed his outfield value by starting a relay in the fifth that ended up being a crucial out. Red Sox outfielder Raimel Tapia smoked a 103.5 mph double to center which Barrero retrieved and threw at 91.2 mph to McLain, who then fired the ball at 86.5 mph to catcher Tyler Stephenson to get Kik¨¦ Hern¨¢ndez at the plate.

¡°It¡¯s amazing how every little thing matters,¡± Bell said. ¡°You ended up getting a one-run game and a play like that, you just never know what would have happened if that wasn¡¯t executed like it was. And [Barrero] was a big part of that.¡±

Reds starter Ben Lively followed up his first win as a starter since 2017 with another strong start, holding Boston¡¯s offense to just two hits and zero runs over his 5 2/3-inning outing. Cincinnati relievers then allowed eight runs -- including a three-run seventh charged to Fernando Cruz and five runs surrendered by Eduardo Salazar in the ninth -- leading the Reds to call on closer Alexis D¨ªaz to record the final two outs for his 13th save.

¡°It¡¯s a good team, you never relax,¡± Bell said. ¡°You give them credit for fighting their way back into the game. Sometimes you¡¯re not able to hold onto a game like that. So for us to be able to hold on right there, Alexis did a great job, he got ready fast. Came right in and that¡¯s not an easy situation to come in, especially with the momentum having shifted that much.¡±

With their win in Boston and Milwaukee¡¯s loss in Toronto, the Reds moved to three games back of the NL Central-leading Brewers.

¡°It¡¯s dope,¡± Benson said. ¡°The energy is at an all-time high. From what I¡¯ve heard, it wasn¡¯t like that last year. So to be able to be part of that is cool, and it feels like something really special is going on.¡±