As for the game, somehow the Boston Red Sox snapped their 4 game losing streak by outlasting the best pitcher in the National League. The New York Mets trotted out their ace Jake deGrom but the Sox got to him for 2 runs in 6 innings to keep the game close. The normally inept Sox offense tied the game in the top of the seventh and took the lead in the eighth against the Mets bullpen. The Sox bullpen then tried to give the game away by allowing 2 runs. As it was, the Sox won their second game of the season by the skin of their teeth 6-5 at Citi Field.
The Sox were futile in the top of the first inning as Andrew Benintendi popped up weakly to center to start. JD Martinez got a lucky double to center but Rafael Devers lined a weak shot to center. Mitch Moreland popped up weakly to left to end the inning. Naturally the Mets took 5 seconds to pounce on Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi. Brandon Nimmo flied out to left but Jeff McNeil, Pete Alonso and Michael Conforto easily singled to load the bases. Dominic Smith beat out a double play ball to score McNeil to put the Mets on top. Yoenis Cespedes whiffed to end the inning but the Mets were up 1-0.
The Sox did absolutely nothing in the top of the second as Christian Vazquez grounded out weakly to first to begin. Alex Verdugo grounded out weakly to second and Jose Peraza swung and missed at a pitch headed to the backstop to end the inning. Robinson Cano popped up to short to start the bottom of the second but Andres Giminez singled to left. Eovaldi picked off Giminez and struck out Rene Rivera swinging to end the inning.
deGrom laughed at the Sox in the top of the third as Jackie Bradley Jr whiffed badly to start. Tzu-Wei Lin closed his eyes and swung at a pitch in the dirt for strike three although Benintendi drew a lucky walk. Naturally Benintendi was thrown out trying to steal to end the inning. Eovaldi kept tough in the bottom of the third as Nimmo took strike three to start. McNeil flied out to left but Alonso was plunked. Conforto grounded out to short to end the inning.
Somehow the Sox rallied in the top of the fourth although Martinez grounded out weakly to third to start. Somehow Devers got a lucky double to left and Moreland took advantage of a blown strike three call to double him home to tie the game. A wild pitch moved Moreland to third but naturally Vazquez grounded back to the mound. Suddenly deGrom uncorked another wild pitch and Moreland scored to give the Sox their first lead since Opening Day. Verdugo grounded out to third to end the inning but the Sox were ahead 2-1.
Eovaldi nearly gave the lead back as Smith effortlessly singled to right to start the bottom of the fourth. Cespedes followed with a base hit to left but Cano banged into a double play. Somehow Giminez popped up to short to end the inning.
The Sox failed to add to the lead in the top of the fifth as Peraza flied out to center to start. JBJ whiffed again and Lin flied out to left to end the inning. Finally the Mets came back in the bottom of the fifth although Rivera whiffed to start. Nimmo effortlessly hit a 400,000 foot home run into the Long Island Sound to tie the game. McNeil walked and Alonso singled to center, but Conforto banged into a double play to end the inning with the game tied 2-2. That was it for Eovaldi as Sox manger Ron Roenicke felt more than 5 innings was too much for anyone.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the sixth as Benintendi flied out to left to start. Martinez lined out to center and Devers grounded out to first to end the inning. Marcus Walden came in for the bottom of the sixth and crapped his pants. He did manage to punch out Smith and Cespedes swinging, but Cano singled to center. Giminez then tripled past JBJ to give the Mets the lead. Rivera took strike three to end the inning but it was 3-2 Mets.
Somehow the Sox fought back in the top of the seventh against Seth Lugo. Moreland grounded out to third but Vazquez struck his second home run of the season to tie the game. Verdugo took strike three but Peraza flied out to right to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Josh Osich was brought in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and struck out Nimmo swinging to start. McNeil was hit by a pitch and Alonso singled to third before both runners moved over on the grounder Conforto. JD Davis pinch hit for Smith and Roenicke countered by bringing in Heath Hembree. Hembree punched out Davis to end the inning.
Somehow the Sox rallied in the top of the eighth with Justin Wilson on the mound. Kevin Pillar pinch hit for JBJ and dumped a base hit to left to start. Xander Bogaerts pinch hit for Tzu-Wei Lin and drew a walk. Jonathan Arauz pinch ran for Bogaerts as both runners moved over on the sacrifice bunt by Benintendi. Martinez was intentionally walked to load the bases but Devers whiffed. Somehow Moreland singled past third base to score Pillar with the go-ahead run. Vazquez then singled home both Arauz and Martinez to increase the lead. Verdugo walked to re-load the bases and chase Wilson. Dellin Betances came in but Peraza whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-3.
6 outs from victory naturally the Sox bullpen almost imploded. Matt Barnes came in for the bottom of the eighth and Cespedes bashed a 900,000 foot home run to cut into the lead. Cano singled to left but Giminez whiffed. Wilson Ramos pinch hit for Rivera and banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-4.
Jeurys Famillia came in for the top of the ninth and Pillar grounded back to the mound to start. Arauz grounded out to first but Benintendi hit a ground rule double to left. Martinez whiffed to end the inning. 3 outs from victory Brandon Workman nearly imploded in the bottom of the ninth. Nimmo and McNeil drew back to back walks and Alonso blooped a single just over Moreland's head to load the bases. Somehow Workman froze Conforto for strike three but naturally Davis beat out an infield single to score Nimmo. Somehow Workman got Cespedes swinging on a curveball down in the dirt and Cano lined out to Peraza to end the game. Somehow the Sox had won the game 6-5.
Hero of the Night is Mitch Moreland. He drove in 3 big runs to guide the Sox to victory.
The Good:
Andrew Benintendi was 1 for 3 with a walk and a perfect sacrifice bunt.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with 3 rbis including a solo home run.
Kevin Pillar was 1 for 2 with a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts walked as a pinch hitter.
Nathan Eovaldi tossed 5 innings of 2 run ball, striking out 4.
Josh Osich got the first two outs of the 7th inning.
Heath Hembree got the win by striking out the only man he faced.
The Bad:
Jose Peraza was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts.
Tzu-Wei Lin was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Marcus Walden allowed a run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Matt Barnes allowed a run in the bottom of the 8th inning.
The Ugly:
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Alex Verdugo was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Jonathan Arauz was 0 for 1 at the plate but scored a run.
Brandon Workman got the save but allowed a run in the bottom of the 9th.
Final Thoughts:
We won? ITS A MIRACLE!!! Who would have thought the Sox would lay down and die in 4 straight games, two of which against the Baltimore Orioles....only to survive the best pitcher in the National League. Eovaldi kept pace for 5 innings and the much maligned offense got to the Mets bullpen for 4 runs. The Sox needed a win like this to get back on track especially against a pitcher like deGrom. The team is still a mess so any win needs to be celebrated. The problem is the Sox can't keep up any momentum because of the bums in their rotation. So if the Sox only have a chance to win 1 game out of 5, by god they got this one! The win improved the Sox to 2-4 with 54 games to go. The Sox somehow try to make it two in a row against the Mets when they send Martin Perez (0-1, 7.20) to the mound against Steven Matz at 7:07 PM at Citi Field.
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