The Boston Red Sox picked up their eighth and ninth straight wins to improve to 46-48. They enter the All-Star break ten games back of first place in the American League East. They’re 0.5 games back for the final spot in the American League wild card standings.
Purchase tickets via Ticketmaster
Saturday:
The Red Sox broke a scoreless tie in the fourth on an Andruw Monasterio two-run home run. In the eighth, they added to that lead as Masataka Yoshida hit a two-run home run to make it 4-0, and that would be the final.
Eduardo Rivera went 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing a hit, two walks, and striking out three. The bullpen, combined of Greg Weissert, Jovani Moran, Justin Slaten, and Danny Coulombe, went 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing two hits, five walks, and five strikeouts.
Sunday:
The Mets opened the scoring in the home half of the first with an RBI double. They added to that lead in the sixth with a solo home run. The Red Sox found a way back in the ninth. They got a bases-loaded walk from Andruw Monasterio, then Jarren Duran singled home Tsung-Che Cheng to tie the game at 2-2. The game went to extras, where Anthony Seigler drove home a run on a sacrifice fly. The Mets wouldn’t score in the home half of the tenth, and the Red Sox completed the comeback.
Payton Tolle got the start, going 3.2 innings. He was on a pitch count entering the game. Tolle allowed a run on three hits. He walked one and struck out seven. The Red Sox piggybacked between Tolle and Brayan Bello. Bello went 4.1 innings, allowing a run on two hits. He didn’t allow a walk and struck out five. Aroldis Chapman had the ninth, allowing a hit and striking out one. Garrett Whitlock picked up his second save of the season, pitching a scoreless tenth and striking out one.
Standout Series Performer
Andruw Monasterio was a spark plug. He only played in the final two games of the series. On Saturday, he had a two-run home run to open the scoring. In the finale, he drew a bases-loaded walk to get Boston on the board.
Key News & Notes
The Red Sox, following Saturday’s game, designated Coulombe for assignment. In 29 appearances, he’s 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA, a 1.50 WHIP, and ten strikeouts in 22 innings.
Boston on Sunday recalled Bryan Bello for a bullpen role. Bello, as a reliever this season, has made five appearances after Sunday, going 1-0 with a 0.91 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts in 29.2 innings. In his career as a reliever, he’s 2-1 with a 1.58 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 39.2 innings.
The Red Sox won all nine games of their road trip, improving to 29-21 on the road this season. During the road trip, they averaged 5.7 runs per game while allowing 1.5 runs per game. Check back on Tuesday as he’ll take a look at the Red Sox’ first half and what they did as they won 14 of their last 16 to end the first half.
Farm Report
- Worcester Red Sox (AAA): Worcester split the final two games against Rochester to enter their break.
- Portland Sea Dogs (AA): Portland also split their final two games of the weekend against New Hampshire to enter the break.
- Greenville Drive (A+): Greenville won 12-7 on Saturday before losing 3-1 on Sunday to Greensboro.
- Salem RidgeYaks (A): The RidgeYaks dropped a tough one on Saturday, 9-8, before winning Sunday 8-4.
- FCL Red Sox (ROK): FCL Red Sox face the FCL Orioles today.
- DSL Red Sox Red (ROK): DSL Red Sox Red face DSL LAD Mega today.
- DSL Red Sox Blue (ROK): DSL Red Sox Blue will face the DSL LAD Bautista today for two games.
