Winker, Offense Leads Mets in Sweep Over Red Sox

The New York Mets (76-64) and Boston Red Sox (70-70) continued their series on Wednesday night in New York with the Mets leading the series 2-0 and looking for a series sweep over the Red Sox.

Tanner Houck (8-9, 3.24 ERA) was on the mound to start it off for Boston against Tylor Megill (3-5, 4.95 ERA) for the Mets.

The storyline of the night came in the first inning for the Mets. With Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo, and Mark Vientos all on base, Jesse Winker put the Mets on the board in grand fashion with a one-out grand slam off of Houck that quickly gave the Mets a 4-0 lead.

Their early first-inning lead held the rest of the night. The offense tacked on more runs in the eighth, and the Mets took down the Red Sox 8-3 on Wednesday night to sweep the series.

After the Mets took the early 4-0 lead in the first, the Red Sox made a charge in the top of the third as things began to unravel for Megill. He gave up back-to-back singles to Enmanuel Valdez and Nick Sogard, followed immediately by an RBI double by Jarren Duran to put Boston on the scoreboard and make it a 4-1 game. Back-to-back sacrifice flies by Rafael Devers and Wilyer Abreu then quickly made it one-run, 4-3 game in the third before Megill snuck away from any more damage being done with a strikeout of Tyler O’Neill.

Offensively, Lindor stayed hot with a 2-for-4 night and one run scored.  With his lead-off single in the bottom of the first, Lindor extended his on-base streak to 33 games and his hit-streak to 15 games.

Lindor’s second hit of the night was a double in the fifth giving him his 69^th extra-base hit of the season. He sits in second place among Mets’ shortstops for most single-season extra-base hits with 69, only behind José Reyes who had 72 extra-base hits in 2008.

Nimmo (1-for-2) and Vientos (2-for-4) each had at least one hit and a run scored for the Mets on Wednesday night as well. Vientos struck for two hits. Francisco Alvarez also had a hit against the Red Sox.

Along with his two hits, Nimmo was on-base three times on Wednesday with two walks as well.

The Mets added to their lead in the bottom of the eighth with three bases-loaded walks to Tyrone Taylor, Jeff McNeil, and Alvarez that extended their lead to 8-3 over the Red Sox in an inning in which Red Sox pitchers walked five batters.

Harrison Bader joined in on the party with a sacrifice fly in the eighth as well that extended the Mets’ lead to 8-3.

Defensively, the Mets’ bullpen was lights out in relief for Megill who lasted just four innings. He gave up three earned runs on five hits, a walk, and struck out three before turning the ball over to the bullpen.

Alex Young, Huascar Brazobán, Danny Young, Phil Maton, and Edwin Díaz combined for five scoreless innings, giving up just a combined four hits, two walks, and striking out two to keep the Red Sox at bay and give the Mets their 8-3 win and series sweep over the Red Sox.

That win is the Mets’ seventh win in a row as they continue to stay hot. That ties their season-high win streak.

Player of the Game

Wednesday’s Metsmerized Player of the Game is Jesse Winker for his first-inning grand slam. Winker went 1-for-3 with two runs scored, a walk, and four RBIs on Wednesday that helped lead the Mets to their victory over Boston.

On Deck

The Mets have an off-day on Thursday before they welcome the Cincinnati Reds to Citi Field on Friday for a three-game series.

Sean Manaea (11-5, 3.35 ERA) will be on the mound for the Mets. Cincinnati has not released their Friday night starter.

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