Kyle Schwarber homered twice, and the Boston Red Sox pounded out 14 hits Wednesday night to sweep a short two game series with a 12-5 victory over the New York Mets at Fenway Park. Boston extends their win streak to seven games.
Boston (88-65) started the scoring early and often against New York starter Taijuan Walker. Schwarber with one out in the bottom of the first inning laced one into the centerfield bleachers for a solo homer. The ball traveled 434 feet at an estimated 112 miles per hour. JD Martinez would add an RBI single in the first, before they responded to a run by New York in the top of the second by adding four more in the bottom half of inning number two. Kike Hernandez had an RBI double, and then Schwarber again with two men on found the grandstands beyond the Red Sox bullpen for a three-run shot and a 6-1 lead. The hosts added on with three in the third on an RBI ground-rule double by Alex Verdugo, and then an RBI triple by Jose Iglesias. Iglesias also scored on the same play on a Mets error trying to throw him out at third, and the rout was on.
Chris Sale (5-0) was efficient in picking up another win allowing two runs on six hits with two walks and eight strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Sale threw 89 pitches, 56 for strikes. Schwarber had three hits and four RBI, while Rafael Devers, Martinez, and Hunter Renfroe all had two hits each. Boston added to their major league lead in two baggers with six more doubles. Walker (7-11) allowed six runs on six hits in 2.0 innings in the loss for NY (73-79). Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil had two hits a piece, and Pete Alonso hit his 35th homerun of the season which was a solo shot. A huge three game series and the last home series of the regular season begins Friday night at Fenway against the New York Yankees. RHP Nathan Eovaldi (10-8, 3.58 ERA) is scheduled to start on the hill for the Sox, while RHP Gerrit Cole (15-8, 3.03) goes for the Yanks in the opener.
