The Boston Red Sox scored three eighth inning runs Wednesday night and held off a ninth inning rally by the New York Mets for a 6-5 victory to break a four game losing streak at Citi Field in Flushing, New York.
In what was expected to be a great pitchers duel between Nathan Eovaldi and back to back Cy Young winner Jacob DeGrom, it was New York jumping ahead first. Dominic Smith grounded into a fielders choice for an RBI after the hosts had loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first to make it 1-0 Mets. It stayed that way until the fourth when Rafael Devers and Mitch Moreland hit back to back doubles to tie the score 1-1. Moreland later scored on a wild pitch with two outs to put the Red Sox up 2-1. Brandon Nimmo hit a solo homer his first of the season to right field for New York (3-3) in the fifth off Eovaldi to tie it again 2-2.
Andres Gimenez put the Mets back ahead with an RBI triple in the sixth, before Christian Vazquez evened it up with a solo homer in the seventh. Moreland put Boston (2-4) back ahead for good with an infield single in the eighth to score a run, and Vazquez followed with a two run single to make it 6-3. Yoenis Cespedes cut the deficif to a pair with a solo homerun to left in the bottom half of the eighth. New York had a great chance to steal a win off Brandon Workman in the ninth. Nimmo and Jeff McNeil walked, and then Pete Alonso looped a single that hit the foul chalk down the first base line to load the bases with noone out. Michael Conforto then struck out, before JD Davis got an infield RBI single on a diving stop by Devers at third to make it 6-5. Cespedes then also struck out, and then with the game on the line Robinson Cano hit a soft liner to Jose Peraza at shortstop to end it.
Heath Hembree (1-0) got the win pitching just 1/3 of an inning in relief. Workman held on to get his first save of the season. Matt Barnes also had a hold by pitching the eighth. Eovaldi allowed two runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in a 5.0 inning no decision. Moreland and Vazquez had two hits each to pace the offense. Justin Wilson (0-1) was pegged in the loss in relief for New York allowing the three runs in the eighth. Seth Lugo had a blown save by allowing the Vazquez seventh inning homer. Degrom only allowed two runs on three hits in 6.0 innings with four strikeouts. Alonso had four hits, while Cespedes, Cano, and Gimenez each had two to lead a 15 hit attack.
A pair of left handers take to the mound on Thursday night at 7:07 for the final game of the home and home Interleague series. Martin Perez is scheduled to start for Boston, while Steven Matz goes for New York.
