Joe Kelly

Boston Red Sox pitcher Joe Kelly reacts after striking out Cincinnati Reds Chris Heisey in the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2014, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tony Tribble)

(TONY TRIBBLE)

CINCINNATI -- Joe Kelly knew he had speed -- he said he was clocked running out of the box to first base in less than four seconds while with the St. Louis Cardinals.

But he had never stolen a base until Tuesday.

The newly acquired starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox hit a line-drive single to right field in the third inning of his team's 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds. He moved to second on a bunt and then looked to third.

While Reds pitcher Mat Latos didn't pay any attention to Kelly behind him, Kelly took off before Latos even started his delivery. He stole third base standing up.

"Latos wasn’t looking and I timed him up a little bit," Kelly said. "I knew, it was 3-0, (Dustin Pedroia) wasn’t going to swing. That’s the kind of hitter he is. I just tried to time him up and get on third base with one out and try to get in scoring position.”

Latos told reporters he was irritated by Kelly stealing third.

"That kind of [set] me off that he actually did that," Latos said, according to MLB.com.

Kelly's stolen base was the first of his career and the first stolen base by a Red Sox pitcher since Bill Landis stole a base against the Cleveland Indians on Sept. 8, 1969. Not since Ted Lilly in 2008 has any major league pitcher stolen third.

"How often do we see pitchers on the bases, first of all?" manager John Farrell said. "Not very often. He gets a base hit then a heads up play when Latos is maybe taking a little bit more time than normal. Then he advances 90 feet, just a good heads-up athletic play by his part."

Kelly was once used as a pinch-runner while with the Cardinals, though Farrell is hoping to take more caution with the Red Sox's second-oldest starting pitcher.

"I always told my team, but the Cardinals never let me run because I pulled my hammy," Kelly said. "I figure this might be my only opportunity and I at least wanted to get one in there and I saw the right opportunity and just took it.”

After throwing six innings of two-run ball in his second start with the Red Sox, Kelly said he's actually hoping to contribute further on the offensive side next time he gets a chance to hit.

His next goal?

"Hit the ball as far as (Yoenis) Cespedes, but that's not going to happen," Kelly said. "Maybe put it in the air when the wind is blowing out and get a home run. I just try to stick to hitting singles and get on and just be a nuisance on the basepaths and act like another leadoff hitter and have pitchres think about me out there.

"You can’t take it lightly.”

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