Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run home-run as part of his four-RBI Sunday afternoon as the Boston Red Sox defeated the New York Mets 6-3 in Port St. Lucie.
With the score tied at two in the top of the fifth, Bogaerts followed Jemile Weeks and Brock Holt, who both walked to start the inning, and took a 3-2 pitch right down the line and around the left-field foul pole.
The three-run shot (2) was Bogaerts's second run-scoring hit of the game as it followed his third-inning RBI single that scored Weeks. His final line was 2 for 3 with 4 RBI and a run scored. He now has six runs batted on for the spring.
The Red Sox then scored run #6 in the top of the seventh when Holt scored on a wild pitch with Bryan LaHair at the plate. Bryce Brentz scored the Red Sox' second run on a bases-loaded walk in the third.
The Mets scored first in the bottom of the second on a Wilmer Flores RBI single. Flores then tied the game at two with an RBI groundout in the fourth. Juan Lagares singled home Johnny Monell in the seventh for the Mets' final tally.
Brian Johnson (W: 1-1, 3.00 ERA) pitched the fourth and fifth innings for the win, allowing one earned run on three hits and two strikeouts. Rick Porcello started and allowed one run on four hits and two strikeouts in three innings. Keith Couch (S: 1) pitched two scoreless innings and allowed two hits in picking up his first save of the spring.
The Red Sox expect to have right fielder Shane Vicotrino back in the lineup Monday when they face the St. Louis Cardinals. Victorino sat out the weekend with soreness from his offseason surgery back surgery. On Saturday, Boston.com's Jeremy Gottleib quoted Victorino saying, "Normal everyday soreness.Don't look too far into it." Victorino played in only 30 games last year due mainly to hamstring problems .