The Boston Red Sox were yet again forced to rally, and again couldn’t do so.
It came after left-handed starter Matt Hall allowed three runs in the first three innings and reliever Austin Brice allowed two over the next two innings, propelling the New York Mets to an 8-3 win over Red Sox at Fenway Park on Tuesday night.
Pitching again was among the biggest struggles as the Sox allowed eight runs on nine hits, with Ryan Brasier giving up three runs on three hits in the eighth inning to put the game away. It was the fourth consecutive game Boston allowed seven runs or more.
At the plate, the Sox mustered 10 hits with four players. A few unfortunate miscues, however, limited the Sox from making the most of their offensive opportunities.
The Red Sox dropped to 1-4 on the season while the Mets moved to 3-2 after sweeping the two-game series in Boston.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Strange.
The Red Sox had a few troubling base running errors — Peraza in the first inning, Andrew Benintendi in the third — while the Mets smacked a two-run homer off the Pesky Pole in the fifth inning, essentially a line drive that looked destined for the seats in foul territory.
More Red Sox: Mitch Moreland’s Homer Vs. Orioles Had Special Meaning
ON THE BUMP
— It didn’t take long for the Mets to hit Hall.
The Mets opened up the scoring with a three-run second inning as Robinson Cano smacked a one-out, RBI double down the left-field line. Devers made a nice play on the corner to give the Red Sox two outs, but Amed Rosario connected on a two-out, two-RBI bloop single, scoring Yoenis Cespedes and Cano following a walk by Hall.
A @RobinsonCano double gives us the early lead. #LGM pic.twitter.com/JKDdVNQeZ7
— New York Mets (@Mets) July 28, 2020
Hall lasted just 2 2/3 innings while allowing three earned runs on three hits.
— Brice took the mound with two outs in the third and earned a swinging third strike to get out of the frame.
Brice later allowed his first hit of the game to Andrew McNeil, a one-out single to left-center field in the fifth. J.D. Davis followed that up with a two-run homer to give the Mets a 5-1 lead, leading to Brice’s exit after just 1 2/3 innings.
An absolute legend bangs one off the Pesky pole! #LGM pic.twitter.com/XCMnLObH1K
— New York Mets (@Mets) July 29, 2020
— Colten Brewer took the mound in relief with one out in the fifth inning and sat the next two batters down to get out of the frame.
Brewer got out of a jam in the sixth after allowing baserunners at the corners with nobody out. Boston first baseman Michael Chavis saved at least one run as he made a play down the first base line for the first out of the inning, Brewer rung up Rosario for the second out of the frame and got Pete Alonso to fly out to left field for the third out.
Brewer was a bright spot on the mound, finishing his 2 2/3 innings of work with just one hit allowed and four strikeouts.
— Brasier came on for the eighth inning and made things worse, allowing three runs on three hits as the Mets extended their lead to 8-2.
— Brandon Workman got back onto the mound in the ninth inning and allowed just one hit as Devers made a few nice plays at third to get out of the inning.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox had a very good opportunity in the third inning, having the bases loaded with nobody out, but ultimately Plawecki scored the only run on a hit by Devers.
Plawecki led off the third with a double to the left-field wall before Andrew Benintendi gave the Sox runners at first and second with nobody out. Peraza followed it up with a deep single to right-center field, but with some base running issues the Sox were left with the bases loaded and nobody out.
J.D. Martinez then out for the first out of the inning before Devers put the ball in play as the Mets recorded a 4-6-5-4 double play. Plawecki, however, crossed the plate for Boston’s first run before Benintendi was tagged out in a rundown for the final out of the frame.
— Plawecki got the Sox offense going again in the fifth inning as he connected on a hard hit ball to third base and went to second on a throwing error by New York’s McNeil. Benintendi earned another walk to give the Sox first and second with one out, but Peraza grounded into a double play to end the frame.
— Devers unleashed a deep drive off the left-field wall, connecting on a breaking ball with one out in the sixth inning. Pillar then smacked a perfectly placed RBI double down the right-field line to score Devers as the Sox closed their deficit to 5-2 with two outs and a man on second. Mitch Moreland came into pinch hit for Chavis, but struck out as the Sox were forced to settle for one run.
— Pillar smacked his third hit of the game on a double to right in the bottom of the ninth inning. He moved to third on a fielder’s choice hit by Moreland before Bradley Jr. earned an RBI on a fielder’s choice for the second out of the inning.
— Pillar and Plawecki led the way for the Red Sox with three hits each.
— Bradley Jr, Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and Christian Vazquez went hitless, while Peraza and Devers had two.
TWEET OF THE GAME
The starting pitching troubles continued Tuesday night.
Boston’s starters have compiled a lackluster 9.90 ERA through the first two innings in their five games this season, according to Tucker Boynton.
Through five games, the Red Sox have a 9.90 ERA in the first two innings.
— Tucker Boynton (@Tucker_TnL) July 29, 2020
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will take their first road trip as they travel to Citi Field to face the New York Mets for another two-game series. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. ET.
