Red Sox Secure Sweep Against Mets
The Boston Red Sox completed a sweep against the New York Mets, extending their winning streak to nine games. The final game of the series saw the Red Sox secure a 3-2 victory in extra innings on Sunday afternoon. This outcome marked a challenging end to the first half of the season for the Mets, who were close to salvaging a win before the All-Star break.
The Mets had been three outs away from winning the series finale. A victory would have provided a positive note for the team, despite their position in the standings. Zach Thornton delivered a strong performance for the Mets, pitching seven scoreless innings in what was his third major league start. He also recorded five strikeouts during the game.
Francisco Lindor contributed both of the Mets’ runs, hitting a home run and an RBI double. However, a critical error by Lindor in the ninth inning allowed the Red Sox to continue their rally. This error occurred on a ground ball that could have resulted in a game-ending double play.
Ninth Inning Collapse and Extra Innings
Following Thornton’s departure, Luke Weaver pitched in the eighth inning, extending his scoreless streak to 26 innings. However, the situation changed when Devin Williams entered the game in the ninth. Williams, who was in line for what could have been his 100th career save, struggled with control. He issued two walks and allowed two hits, contributing to the Red Sox’s comeback.
The error by Lindor was followed by Williams walking another batter, which loaded the bases. He then walked a subsequent batter, bringing in a run for the Red Sox. Jarren Duran then hit a shallow fly ball that resulted in a single, tying the game at 2-2. Although the Mets managed a lineout double play to end the inning, they were unable to score in the bottom half, sending the game into extra innings.
In the 10th inning, the Red Sox took the lead when Anthony Seigler scored Masataka Yoshida with a sacrifice fly. The Mets were unable to advance their free runner at second base in their half of the 10th, leading to the sweep. This loss was described by interim manager Andy Green as tough and frustrating for everyone in the clubhouse.
Individual Performances and Team Outlook
Zach Thornton’s outing was a highlight for the Mets, as he was effective and efficient, particularly in the first four innings where he did not allow a hit on 39 pitches. This was the fewest pitches a Mets starter had needed to get through the first four innings all season. Despite his strong performance, the team could not secure the win.
Devin Williams’s blown save was his third of the season. After a strong June where he had a 0.96 ERA across nine appearances, his ERA in July has been 10.80 over four games. Despite these recent struggles, Andy Green stated that there are no current plans to remove Williams from the closer role, citing his experience.
Francisco Lindor’s season has been marked by injury, and his recent performance includes a slash line of .216/.298/.373 in 40 games. His defense has also been a point of concern. Lindor acknowledged the need for improvement, stating, “I gotta be better, I gotta execute.”
The Mets now face the task of turning around their season in the remaining 65 games, starting with their return to action on Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Source: sports.yahoo.com