The Boston Red Sox broke open a close game with a 9 run explosion in innings 5,6 and 7, helping the host Red Sox avoid a rare home sweep, defeating the injury riddled New York Mets, 12-5. With the win, Boston takes over 1st place in the powerful AL East, collecting 16 hits. 3b Mike Lowell and 1b Kevin Youkilis had 3 rbi apiece, while RF JD Drew went 4 for 5 and fill-in SS Nick Green added 2 rbi to led the Red Sox attack. C Ramon Castro paced the Mets with 2 hits.
Long time Sox veteran Tim Wakefield(6-2) put out a solid workman like effort, going 6 innings and allowing 5 runs. He was touched for 7 hits and walked 4, while K-ing 3. Castro touched him for a homer in the 2nd, whilke the Mets put together a strong 3rd inning that plated 3 runs. DH Carlos Beltran, 3b David Wright and CF Jeremy Reed all had rbi in the frame to make it 4-3 Mets. Gary Sheffield singled in the 5th NY run in the 5th inning to make it 5-3 and things looked promising for the visitors.
Tim Redding battled and was strong until the roof caved in the 5th. The veteran making his 2nd start in 2009, allowed a 3 run shot to Lowell in the 2nd and was solid until the 5th. After 2 singles, C George Kottaras doubled in two runs to chase Redding. Reliever Sean Green followed and gave up another 2 run single to Red Sox SS Nick Green to make it 6-5. That closed the book on Redding, his stat line: 4 2/3 rd innings, 8 hits and 6 runs with 4 Ks and 4 walks.
Boston continued to pull away vs the Mets pen and the depleted NY offense could not rally vs the strong Boston relief corps. LF Jason Bay, a strong AL MVP candidate, and Drew had rbi in the 6th. The Red Sox added 4 in the 7th hi-lighted by a 3 run homer from Youkilis to cap the score at 12-5. The Mets went quietly in the 8th and 9th to preserve a game in the 1st inter league series of 2009.
Star of Game: Youkilis— Just a tremendous all-around talent who is now hitting .383!!!! Not bad for a guy who is a potential gold glove at either Third or First Base!!!
Good Job, Boys!!!: A lot of has been said about the heart and guts of this group of players with the Game 7 loss of 06 , collapses of 07 and 08 often mentioned. This 2009 team has had a hard time putting together a line-up on this road trip with all of the injuries and so forth but continues to show up and compete. Credit to Mets skipper Jerry Manuel and this group of players. They just went 5-5 on a very tough West to East road trip that featured trips to the top 2 home teams in both leagues.
Game Notes: Expect to see both SS Jose Reyes and Beltran, who DH-ed all weekend, to return to the field Monday, according to Manager Jerry Manuel… Closer Francisco Rodriquez, after his major back scare Saturday, appeared to be close to 100% and jogged out to the bullpen Sunday…With all of the recent injuries, I think I would be doing all of my readers a tremendous service by publishing the Mets lineup.
1- Daniel Murphy,1b
2- Angel Pagan, RF
3- Carlos Beltran, DH
4- Gary Sheffield, LF
5- David Wright, 3b
6- Jeremy Reed, CF
7- Ramon Castro, C
8- Ramon Martinez, SS
9- Pitcher
Next Game:
Monday, Return home to Citifield in Queens to start 3 game series vs the Washington Nationals
7:10 start
Mets RH John Maine(3-3,4.53) vs National LH John Lannan(2-3,3.63)
