Rafael Devers homered, Adam Duvall drove in two runs and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Mets 6-1 on Sunday.
Boston led off a four-run third inning with seven straight hits, chasing an ineffective Carlos Carrasco. Connor Wong had three hits for the Red Sox, who finished with 15 and took two of three games in the series.
«We got the ball in play and had some quality at-bats,» manager Alex Cora said.
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Boston Red Sox’s Rafael Devers, right, celebrates with Adam Duvall, left, after scoring on his home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, July 23, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
The victory kept Boston (53-47) tied with rival New York Yankees for last place in the troubled AL East. Both sit two games away from a playoff spot.
Francisco Lindor hit an RBI single off the Green Monster for the disappointing Mets (46-53), who could be a surprising seller heading into the Aug. 1 trade deadline.
Carrasco (3-4) was charged with five runs and 10 hits in 2 1/3 innings as his ERA rose to 5.82. In the first he received a visit from a physical trainer.
Duvall hit an RBI single in the first and an RBI double in the third before scoring on rookie Triston Casas’ single. Yu Chang greeted reliever Drew Smith with an RBI single and Wong scored on Smith’s wild pitch.
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Boston Red Soxs Connor Wong, left, celebrates with Rafael Devers, right, after the Red Sox beat the New York Mets 6-1 in a baseball game, Sunday, July 23, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Devers hit his 24th home run in the seventh.
For the third time since the All-Star break, the Red Sox walked away with a starter. Brennan Bernardino pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts before giving way to lefty Chris Murphy, who kept the Mets off the scoreboard until the sixth.
«I just try to pass the ball to the next guy and let him take over and hand it over to the next guy,» Bernardino said.
Boston used seven pitchers, with Murphy (1-0) working 3 2/3 innings for his first major league win.
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Carlos Carrasco of the New York Mets throws a pitch to a Boston Red Sox batter in the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 23, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
«His stuff plays. He’s got a good fastball and he can take out righties,» Cora said. «It has been a pleasant surprise for us.»
O’CLOCK
Left fielder Mark Canha became the first Mets outfielder with three assists in a game since Endy Chavez in 2006. Canha threw out Jarren Duran at the plate in the first inning after turning back a wild throw and cut off Casas trying to stretch out a single by the Green Monster’s base in the fifth. Canha was also credited with an assist as Devers invaded third base in the third.
«He just fell into my lap…playing around and trying to make all the right plays,» Canha said. «Doing what I always do and that’s playing aggressively in the outfield. It just happened and it felt perfect.»
MEET ME ON THE PLATE
It was a family reunion during the pregame lineup swap when Cora looked the other way and saw her older brother Joey, the Mets’ third-base coach.
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New York Mets’ Dominic Leone (50) takes the mound as Boston Red Sox’s Rafael Devers, left, runs the bases toward home plate after hitting a home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 23, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
CAST OUT
Boston had four runners out in four different ways, all on different bases. Duvall was intercepted first in the sixth.
COACHES ROOM
Mets: RF Starling Marte (migraines) is «fine,» according to manager Buck Showalter. «He’s back in New York. He’s had three good days there. He’s had a lot of physical challenges this year that he hasn’t talked about,» Showalter said. … The extent of INF Luis Guillorme’s calf injury and how long he is likely to miss will become clear after he undergoes imaging, Showalter said. Guillorme was injured Saturday at Fenway Park and was placed on the 10-day disabled list.
Red Sox: SS Trevor Story (off-season elbow surgery) appeared in his third straight rehab game with Double-A Portland. He played six innings in the field and went 2-for-1 with a walk. Alex Cora noted before Sunday’s game that Story made a good play on the hole. «Skip to the first one, which is refreshing, right?» Cora said, speaking about the anticipated defensive push at a position that has been a sore spot at times this season. Story is expected to continue his rehab this week with Triple-A Worcester. … RHP John Schreiber (strain) is close to being activated after appearing in five rehab games. … C Reese McGuire (oblique) begins a rehab assignment Tuesday with the WooSox.
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Boston Red Sox’s Brandon Walter finishes pitching to a New York Mets batter in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 23, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
UNTIL NEXT TIME
Mets: After a day off Monday, a short trip to Yankee Stadium awaits you for Game 1 of the Subway Series on Tuesday night. RHP Justin Verlander (4-5, 3.47 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Mets.
Red Sox: Boston is also inactive Monday and will remain at Fenway Park for a two-game series against NL East-leading Atlanta that begins Tuesday. The Red Sox had yet to announce their starter for Game 1 of the series.