Boston Red Sox shortstop Tzu-Wei Lin, left, forces out New York Mets’ Pete Alonso at second before turning the double play at first in the fifth inning Wednesday, July 29, 2020, in New York. New York Mets’ Michael Conforto was out at first. AP Photo/John Minchillo

NEW YORK — Christian Vázquez hit a tying home run off Seth Lugo in the seventh inning and a two-run single against Justin Wilson in a three-run eighth, rallying the Boston Red Sox over the Mets 6-5 Wednesday night when New York’s bullpen could not hold a lead for two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom.

Boston had lost four in a row following its opening day win over Baltimore — the equivalent of 11 straight over a full season — that included a pair of defeats to the Mets at Fenway Park.

New York closed with a run in the ninth, when a diving stop by third baseman Rafael Devers helped Brandon Workman strand the bases loaded. Workman recovered for his first save of the year by striking out Yoenis Céspedes and retiring Robinson Canó on a soft liner to shortstop.

DeGrom, throwing at up to 101 mph, extended his consecutive scoreless streak to 31 innings before allowing a pair of runs in the fourth but got his second straight no-decision, allowing two runs and three hits in six innings with four strikeouts. He left with a 3-2 lead, but Vázquez tied the score when he drove a hanging curveball from Lugo for his second home run this season.

Wilson relieved for the second straight night and got in trouble by allowing a pair of pinch hitters to reach, Kevin Pillar with a single and Xander Bogaerts with a walk.

Andrew Benintendi sacrificed, J.D. Martinez was intentionally walked and, with two outs, Mitch Moreland hit a 60-foot, four-hopper for a single that third baseman Jeff McNeil grabbed barehanded but couldn’t hold on to. Vázquez followed with an opposite-field poke down the right-field line for a 6-3 lead.

Advertisement

Céspedes hit his second home run of the season leading off the eighth, against Matthew Barnes.

After Workman walked his first two batters, Pete Alonso blooped a curveball just over Moreland just inside the line in short right field for his first four-hit game. Michael Conforto took a called third strike, and J.D. Davis nearly grounded the ball through the infield only for Devers to smother the ball for an infield hit and that forced the potential tying run to hold at third.

DeGrom’s scoreless streak tied for third-longest in Mets history. Boston went ahead 2-1 in the fourth on consecutive doubles by Devers and Moreland followed by a pair of wild pitches. DeGrom threw just two wild pitches in each of the 2018 and 2019 seasons but catcher René Rivera, making his first start this season, was slow in sliding his mitt toward pitches with movement.

New York’s only longer streaks were R.A. Dickey’s 32 2/3 innings in 2012 and Jerry Koosman’s 31 2/3 innings in 1973.

Nathan Eovaldi gave up two runs and eight hits in five innings. He fell behind in the first when he gave up three straight singles and Dominic Smith followed with an RBI grounder.

JOHNNY MAC

Advertisement

New York and Boston played following the announcement of the death of former Red Sox manager John McNamara, who managed Boston within one strike of a World Series victory against the Mets in 1986. With Boston then seeking its first title since 1918, the Red Sox led Game 6 in the 10th inning before Bob Stanley’s tying wild pitch and Mookie Wilson’s grounder through the legs of Bill Buckner. New York rallied from a three-run deficit to win Game 7.

ROOKIE WATCH

Mets rookie Andrés Giménez got his first hit and first triple in his first start, going 2 for 4. The 21-year-old, who had debuted on opening day, had an RBI triple in the sixth off Marcus Walden for a 3-2 lead on a ball that over Jackie Bradley Jr. that the center fielder misread, first turning to his right before looking back to his left.

BYE-BYE

No. 3 C Jonathan Lucroy was designated for assignment by Boston after making one appearance, as an eighth-inning defensive replacement on opening day. The Red Sox recalled right-hander Chris Mazza from their alternate training site.

OUCH

Advertisement

A pair of Mets were hit by pitches for the second straight night: Alonso by Eovaldi and McNeil by Josh Osich.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: OF Jake Marisnick was placed on the 10-day injured list after hurting a hamstring. New York selected the contract of OF Ryan Cordell from their alternate training site in Brooklyn and opened a spot on the 40-man roster by designated right-hander Jordan Humphreys for assignment.

UP NEXT

Boston’s Martín Pérez (0-1) and New York’s Steven Matz (0-0) start in a matchup of left-handers that finishes this week’s back-to-back, two-game series between the teams. Pérez lost his Red Sox debut, allowing five runs — four earned — in five innings against Baltimore. Matz gave up one run in six innings against Atlanta in his season debut, a 10-inning loss.

Related Headlines


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.

filed under: