Xander Bogaerts hit a go ahead two-run homerun in the fifth inning and had four RBI on Tuesday night, leading the Boston Red Sox to their sixth straight win with a 6-3 victory over the New York Mets at Fenway Park.
Boston had a chance to get on the board first when they loaded the bases with no outs in the third inning, but Xander Bogaerts hit into a rare 5-2-3 double play and Rafael Devers would fly out to end the threat. New York (73-78) then threatened against Eduardo Rodriguez and would break the ice in the fourth. The Mets loaded the bases with no outs, and JD Davis walked to force in a run and Michael Conforto hit an RBI single to make it 2-0. The Sox limited the damage though when Pete Alonso was thrown out at the plate by Kike Hernandez on the Conforto hit, and then Rodriguez retired Kevin Pillar and Dominic Smith to get out of it. Boston (87-65) got on the board in the bottom half on consecutive two out doubles by Bobby Dalbec and Christian Vazquez to cut the deficit in half. The hosts took the lead for good in the last of the fifth when Hernandez led off with a solo homer to tie it, Kyle Schwarber doubled, and then Bogaerts lost one over the monster in centerfield for his 23rd of the season and a 4-2 advantage. Bogaerts later added a bases loaded two-run single in the sixth, as the Red Sox kept a 1.5 game lead over Toronto for the top American League wild card spot.
Rodriguez allowed two runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 4.1 innings in his no-decision. Ryan Brasier (1-1) picked up the win out of the bullpen with 1.0 perfect inning. Bogaerts and Dalbec had two hits each. Marcus Stroman (9-13) allowed four runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings in the loss for the Mets, who have lost seven of their last 10 games. Boston looks to finish off a two game sweep in the short series on Wednesday night sending LHP Chris Sale (4-0, 2.40 ERA) to the mound. New York counters with RHP Taijuan Walker (7-10, 4.27). There are now just 10 regular season games remaining for the Red Sox.
