It took the Red Sox until the eighth inning to come back and tie the game after an early deficit. It took the Mets just two batters to jump back on top once and for all to come away with a 6-5 win over the Sox.
The Sox getting in early holes seems to be a trend of late, and today was no different. With Michael Bowden starting in place of a sick Jon Lester, the Mets went to work in the second when Carlos Beltran and Jason Bay led the inning off with a pair of singles. Bowden retired the next two batters, but couldn't get Daniel Murphy, and cut off a throw from Josh Reddick that could have had the runner at the plate. Instead, Murphy managed to get in a run down long enough that both Beltran and Bay managed to score while he snuck into second.
Andrew Miller came in to try and hold the deficit to two, but could not keep up his success from earlier this spring. His fastball was flat, and going anywhere but where he wanted it to. Angel Pagan hit a leadoff double, Jason Bay followed it up with an RBI single, and Ike Davis sealed the deal with a two-run homer. That Miller came out and quickly retired the side in the fourth, relying more on his off-speed stuff, was of little consolation.
The Red Sox had already started chipping away in the top of the inning, though, with a solo homer from Juan Carlos Linares. They tacked on another when Jed Lowrie came in the back door on a Lars Anderson ground out in the fourth, and yet another or Tim Federowicz' solo shot in the seventh. Finally, with Hideki Okajima and Rich Hill having held the lead, Josh Reddick got to face a righty, and took John Lujan deep with a runner on to tie the game at five a piece.
It didn't last long. In came Alex Wilson, who has done nothing but get hit for the past nine months. To nobody's great surprise, the second batter he faced turned on one, and sent it over the wall for the game winning run.
The Good
The Homer Club: Juan Carlos Linares and Josh Reddick picked up their second bombs of spring, and Tim Federowicz picked up his first in a big power showing from the Sox.
The Two-Hit Club: Jed Lowrie showed off his ability to kill lefties with a first-inning double before adding a single. Daniel Nava took one more plate appearance to get it done, but tossed in a walk as well. Tim Federowicz is a member here as well with his perfect game after being substituted in late.
Hideki Okajima: Calling all NL teams. Calling all NL teams.
Rich Hill: Another two scoreless for Rich Hill. No walks, one strikeout.
The Bad
Ryan Kalish: On the one hand, Kalish's 0-4 performance with two strikeouts could be blamed on the ump's love of the outside corner. On the other hand, that's the sort of thing you have to get used to, especially as a young player.
Andrew Miller: His first inning is firmly in the "ugly" territory. His second inning is firmly in the "good" territory. Let's average them out.
The Ugly
Michael Bowden: Bowden's first inning wasn't quite as pretty as Miller's second, with some loud contact. His second was just about as bad as Miller's first, however.
Alex Wilson: It's only through luck that the two singles he gave up came after the home run and not before. That ERA, already at 13.50, could be even higher.