BOSTON (AP) — Xander Bogaerts hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the fifth inning and a two-run double in the sixth, lifting the AL wild-card leading Boston Red Sox over the stumbling New York Mets 6-3 on Tuesday night.
With the Red Sox wearing jarring yellow and blue uniforms, Boston won its sixth straight game and remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Toronto for the top AL wild card with 10 games remaining. The Red Sox trail first-place Tampa Bay by six games in the AL East.
"We've just got to continue. Our offense is pretty good right now. Everyone is kind of clicking," Bogaerts said.
New York lost for the sixth time in seven games, intensifying pressure on manager Luis Rojas as Steve Cohen's first season as owner nears a disappointing end. The Mets are 73-78 and 6 1/2 games behind in the NL East, and they dropped 8 1/2 games back for the second NL wild card.
They literally are stumbling.
Pete Alonso was thrown out trying to score on Michael Conforto’s bases-loaded single with no outs in the fourth. With runners on second and third and one out in the fifth, Brandon Nimmo fell after rounding second on Francisco Lindor's double.
Kiké Hernández also homered for the Red Sox, 12-4 against National League teams this season. The Red Sox have won five in a row over the Mets.
New York led 2-0 in the fourth and allowed six straight runs. Alonso hit his 34th homer in the eighth off Garrett Richards.
With the Mets ahead 2-1 in the fifth, Ryan Brasier (1-1) relieved with runners at second and third and one out, struck out Javier Báez and retired Alonso on a groundout.
Darwinzon Hernandez threw a called third strike past Nimmo with a runner on second for the final out.
New York went 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position. The Mets loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth and took a 2-0 lead when Eduardo Rodríguez walked J.D. Davis with the bases loaded and Conforto hit an RBI single.
“I knew two runs weren’t going to do it. We had a pretty good chance there,” Rojas said.
Boston began its 45th comeback win of the year in the bottom half when Bobby Dalbec hit a two-out double high off the center-field wall and scored as Christian Vázquez doubled over left fielder Kevin Pillar, who appeared to misread the ball.
Kiké Hernández homered leading off the fifth, Kyle Schwarber doubled and Bogaerts followed with his 23rd homer for a 4-2 lead.
“We battled. A lot of guys took their walks, passed the baton to the next guy and we put up some good at-bats,” Bogaerts said.
Marcus Stroman (9-13) allowed four runs, seven hits and three walks in five innings. He is 0-1 in five starts since winning at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 22.
“We just stayed within ourselves. You have to be very patient, you have to be very disciplined against Stroman. You have to do it and we did an outstanding job,” Boston manager Alex Cora said.
Rodríguez gave up two runs, five hits and three walks.
SEEING BLUE
Mets fans clad in blue and orange packed a section of seats in the right-field corner and were well represented throughout the ballpark, frequently chanting “Let’s go Mets!” and often outdoing the hometown fans, especially early in the game. The cheers when Rodriguez walked in a run with the bases loaded in the fourth were louder than the boos from Red Sox fans.
SEEING YELLOW
The Red Sox were playing their fourth straight game in their alternate uniforms, which feature the bright blue and yellow colors of the Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston Street and the numbers “617” on one sleeve.
Bogaerts said he was hoping to don the blue-and-yellow again Wednesday as the two-game interleague series wraps up at Fenway Park.
“I know it’s not white and red. I know we’re not the Yellow Sox also, but we need wins right now. So if it’s yellow, it’s yellow,” Bogaerts said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: RHP Noah Syndergaard, returning from Tommy John surgery in March 2020, is scheduled to make a rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday. ... RHP Jacob deGrom threw a bullpen session before the game, his first since the Mets shut him down from throwing in July because of elbow problems.
Red Sox: INF Christian Arroyo returned to the roster after a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester and was reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list. ... Placed RHP Garrett Whitlock (right pectoral strain) on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Monday. ... Brasier was recalled from Worcester.
UP NEXT
Mets RHP Taijuan Walker (7-10, 4.27 ERA) is scheduled to face LHP Chris Sale (4-0, 2.40), who is unbeaten in six starts since returning from Tommy John surgery on Aug. 14.
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