WHO: New York Mets at Red Sox
WHERE: Fenway Park
WHEN: 4:05 p.m.
TV/RADIO: NESN/WEEI-FM 93.7
WHAT’S UP: The Olde Towne Team will look to rebound after Friday night’s 8-0 loss to the Mets by sending Rick Porcello (16-7, 4.27 ERA) to the Fenway mound, while the offense will look to jump on New York starter Corey Oswalt (3-2, 6.62) early and often to get their 102nd win of the 2018 season. ... The Sox are 101-47 with a 9 1/2-game lead on the Yankees, with a magic number of six. The Mets are 69-78, 14 games back of first-place Atlanta in the NL East, with their tragic number at two. ... The Red Sox have 52 wins at home and 49 wins on the road; they have never won 50-plus games both at home and on the road...The last MLB teams to do that were the 2011 Phillies (52 home/50 road) and 2008 Angels (50/50). ... The Red Sox have won each of Porcello’s last 13 Interleague starts (2015-18). That is the longest streak of team wins for any pitcher in Interleague history (previous: 12, Johan Santana, 2002-05). ... Porcello is 1-2 with a 9.15 ERA (20 ER/19.2 IP) in 4 starts vs. Toronto this season. In his other 26 outings during the season, is 15-5 with a 3.66 ERA (65 ER/159.2 IP).
Sweens here, pulling double duty today: with the Revolution playing later tonight, I’m couch bound (don’t want to take the chance of extra innings in the Fens delaying me in getting home in time to cover TBIB at 10:30). We’re underway.
Top first: Rosario lines out to Kinsler at second, before McNeil grounds to Kinsler. Porcello then goes full to Conforto, who lines softly... to Kinsler. 1-2-3 frame for Porcello. Mets 0, Sox coming to bat.
Bottom first: Betts is plunked on a fastball up and in. Benintendi with a grounder into the shift, Smith throws to second gets away, and Betts goes to the third. Martinez K's on three pitches. Bogaerts singles just to the left of second to bring in Betts with his 94th RBI, Benintendi goes to third. Pearce pops to McNeil fighting the sun for out No. 2. On 2-1 to Kinsler, Bogaerts steals second, before Oswalt walks Kinsler to load the bases. Bradley then flies out to right. Oswalt struggles to get ahead of the Red Sox; only does it twice in this inning. Red Sox 1, Mets 0.
Top second: Bruce grounds to Pearce at first after an 8-pitch AB. Frazier flies out to Benintendi in left. Porcello then drills Nimmo in the side of the leg, he's on first. Smith then strikes out on the four-seamer, stranding Nimmo on first.
Bottom second: Devers reaches on a sharply hit ball to right, through Smth's wickets. Leon pops to short. Betts K's on an elevated fastball for out No. 2, before Oswalt goes full to Benintendi. Benintendi then singles through the right side, and Devers goes to third. Martinez is first-pitch swinging, and he flies to right.
Top third: Plawecki flies to JBJ in center. Jackson admires a called third strike a little too long, and so does Rosario. Porcello at three K's so far. 1-2-3 frame.
Bottom third: Bogaerts is caught admiring a called third strike, before Pearce singles through the left side. Kinsler then pops foul to Plawecki. Oswalt's afternoon is done, and Zamora, the southpaw, comes in. Oswalt goes 2.2 innings, three hits, one run, unearned, three K's, one walk, 61 pitches. JBJ then strikes out swinging to end the inning. Sox leave one on; now at six left on base through three. #SmallVillage
Top fourth: McNeil leads off with a base hit through the right side, before Conforto lines to Bogaerts, who moved toward second. McNeil steals on the first pitch to Bruce. Bruce then K's on an elevated fastball. Frazier then battles and draws a two-out walk. Nimmo then lets his hands explode through the zone as he drives it to deep right center into the Red Sox bullpen for a three-run homer. Smith then flies out to JBJ in center. 35-pitch inning for Porcello. 3-1 Mets.
Bottom fourth: Devers K's, before Leon K's looking. Betts battles and draws a two-out walk. Benintendi then strikes out. Zamora fans the side, and all four outs he has won have been K's. Seven left on for Boston.
Top fifth: Plawecki grounds to Pearce at first, he flips to Porcello for the out, 3-1. Jackson then strikes out for the second time for out No. 2. Rosario then flies out to Betts in right to end the inning. 10-pitch frame, and Porcello needed that after the 35-pitch fourth. He's at 88 through five, on target to get a quality start.
Bottom fifth: Sewald now pitching for New York. Martinez strikes out looking, he doesn't like it and he has some words with the home plate umpire. Bogaerts pops to shallow center, McNeil gets it. Pearce then singles to the left of second for his second hit of the game, before Kinsler singles to center. Bradley then drives a knee-high pitch to The Wall's shelf for a three-run homer... the ball launched up after it struck the tin, which should be a homer... and after a review, they take the homer off the board, JBJ gets a two-run double. Devers is intentionally walked, and Sewald is done. Drew Smith to pitch, and Holt pinch-hits for Leon. And he drives Smith's first offering to The Wall for a stand-up, two-run double. Betts then pops to McNeil is shallow center, and that's the inning. Big four-spot. Red Sox 5, Mets 3.
Our Brock star. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/8lFG5iuHCT
— Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) September 15, 2018
Fun fact: Superman actually disguises himself as @JeffMcNeil805. pic.twitter.com/F947q0hwjb
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 15, 2018