It appears the Red Sox have given fans a reason to keep watching after the All-Star break.
Boston rallied from a two-run deficit in the ninth inning to stun the Mets, 3-2, in 10 innings Sunday at Citi Field, extending its winning streak to nine games and completing its first 9-0 road trip since 1977.
The Red Sox managed just two hits through the first eight innings and entered the ninth trailing 2-0. Before Sunday, they were 0-43 this season when trailing after eight innings.
For much of the afternoon, it looked as though Boston’s remarkable run was finally coming to an end.
Mets rookie left-hander Zach Thornton dominated the Red Sox lineup, carrying a no-hitter into the fifth inning before finishing with seven scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits, a fifth-inning double by Andruw Monasterio and a sixth-inning single by Connor Wong, while walking two and striking out five on 82 pitches. Thornton became just the second pitcher this season to hold Boston scoreless for at least seven innings while allowing two or fewer hits.
Boston countered with opener Payton Tolle before turning the game over to Brayan Bello, and the pair kept the Red Sox within striking distance.
The Mets grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first when A.J. Ewing doubled, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Francisco Lindor’s RBI double. Tolle minimized the damage by striking out Eric Wagaman and Carson Benge to strand Lindor at third.
The rookie left-hander allowed one run on three hits over 3 2/3 innings while striking out seven and generating a career-high-tying 18 swinging strikes. He heads into the All-Star break with a 3.11 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP and 87 strikeouts in 84 innings.
Bello, recalled from Triple-A Worcester earlier in the day, entered with two outs in the fourth and immediately stranded Tyrone Taylor at second by striking out Luis Torrens. He cruised through the eighth, with Lindor’s solo homer in the sixth accounting for the only run he allowed. Bello struck out seven over 4 1/3 innings.
The outing reinforced one of the strangest statistical splits in baseball. Bello owns a 10.35 ERA as a starter this season but has posted a 0.91 ERA over 29 2/3 innings as a reliever.
Trailing 2-0 entering the ninth, Boston finally broke through.
Ceddanne Rafaela opened the inning with a single before Romy Gonzalez reached when Lindor couldn’t complete what should have been a routine double play. Caleb Durbin then worked a gritty bases-loaded walk after Mets catcher Torrens unsuccessfully challenged ball four.
Monasterio followed with another bases-loaded walk to make it 2-1.
Moments later, Jarren Duran delivered the biggest hit of the afternoon, lining a game-tying RBI single off Devin Williams. The Red Sox looked poised for an even bigger inning, but Yoshida lined into an inning-ending double play.
Aroldis Chapman responded with a scoreless ninth despite allowing a one-out single, sending the game to extra innings.
Boston wasted little time in the 10th.
Automatic runner Yoshida advanced to third on Wong’s sacrifice bunt before Anthony Seigler lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, giving the Red Sox their first lead of the afternoon.
That handed the ball to Garrett Whitlock.
The Sox’ righty stranded automatic runner Taylor at second by striking out Jorge Polanco and retiring Brett Baty before facing one final hurdle in former Blue Jay Bo Bichette.
After running the count full, Whitlock induced Bichette to bounce a 95.6 mph sinker to first baseman Monasterio for the final out, sealing another improbable comeback.
The Red Sox finished with just five hits, but they made them count. They erased a two-run deficit in the ninth, overcame seven dominant innings from Thornton, and picked up their first win of the season when trailing after eight innings.
Boston heads into the All-Star break on a nine-game winning streak, the longest active streak in the majors. The Red Sox improved to
