The Garrett Richards redemption game couldn't have come at a better time.
The Boston Red Sox trailed by a run early against the New York Mets, and got just enough runs by the third inning to hold on to win, 2-1 on Tuesday night.
But things could have gone much differently had the starting pitcher not thrown a gem, giving up just one run over seven innings and seating 10 batters. Or if Bobby Dalbec hadn't hit his first homer of the season in the third. But we'll get to all that.
Boston now has a two-game win streak.
The Red Sox now are 15-9 on the season, while the Mets fell to 9-9.
Here's how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Pitching.
From beginning to end the pitchers dominated the game.
ON THE BUMP
-- Richards didn't get a ton of run support in his start, but impressively, didn't need it.
In a bounce-back performance, his best yet in Boston, the righty went deep for seven full innings, giving up seven hits but just one earned run with no walks all night.
The one run came by way of a homer off Jeff McNeil in the bottom of the second.
He threw 70 of his 93 pitches for strikes while recording an impressive 10 strikeouts.
-- Matt Andriese made quick work of the Mets with a 1-2-3 inning, striking out the first batter he saw and forcing the next two into grounders.
-- Matt Barnes did it again, getting it done with just nine pitches and two strikeouts.
IN THE BATTER'S BOX
-- Dalbec got to take his first spin in the home run cart in the top of the third. The inning's leadoff batter put a ball in the bullpen to tie the game at 1-1.
-- After evening the score, Boston couldn't get back on base until the sixth. Kiké Hernández doubled to right and was brought home with Rafael Devers' second single of the night.
Devers had the only multi-hit game for Boston, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.
-- Hunter Renfroe was stranded in the seventh after hitting a double.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Ok, let us give credit where credit is do. This was pretty cool.
UP NEXT
One more against the Mets on Wednesday at 6:40 p.m. ET stands between the Red Sox and a four-game trip to Texas to play the Rangers.
