In their first appearance at Citi Field, the Boston Red Sox (60-70) fell to the New York Mets (72-58) after winning the first two games of the series. Wade Miley took the mound for the Boston, while Noah Syndergaard did it for New York. The Mets attacked first in the bottom half of the second inning, when Miley surrendered singles to Michael Cuddyer, Juan Uribe, and Syndergaard that gave New York a 1-0 lead.
The score remained the same until the Red Sox took the lead on the top half of the sixth, when Syndergaard gave up a single to Xander Bogaerts, that was followed by a home run from David Ortiz to put the score on 2-1. Brock Holt struckout to end the inning. That home run was the 28th of the season for Big Papi, and placed him in the 27th position of all time, surpassing Lou Gehrig and Fred McGriff. However, the Mets retook the lead in the next inning when Miley allowed a single to Daniel Murphy, a walk to Cuddyer and a double to Uribe that put the score 3-2. New York boosted their lead in the same inning when Anthony Recker singled on a line drive to left field that allowed Uribe to score.
However, Boston managed to tie the game in the top half of the seventh. After Rusney Castillo grounded out to begin the inning, Blake Swihart singled and moved to second base on a wild pitch when Alejandro De Aza was batting. After De Aza flied out, Jackie Bradley Jr. pinch-hit for Miley and doubled, allowing Swihart to score and reducing the Mets' lead to 4-3. Hansel Robles replaced Syndergaard, and while Mookie Betts was batting Bradley Jr. stole third base. Betts hit a triple when Cuddyer misplayed the ball, and tied the game.
Robbie Ross Jr. replaced Bradley Jr. to begin the bottom half of the seventh and struck out Curtis Granderson to begin the inning. Ross Jr. walked David Wright and gave up a force out to Murphy that allowed him to reach first. Heath Hembree replaced Ross Jr., and while Cuddyer was batting Murphy stole second base. Hembree gave up a single to Cuddyer that eventually gave the Mets a 5-4 lead.
In the top half of the ninth, Boston threatened to score when Castillo and Swihart hit back-to-back singles without an out. De Aza struck out to be the first out of the inning and Travis Shaw, who pinch-hit for Hembree, grounded into a force out that moved Castillo to third. With the winning score 90 feet away, Betts struck out to end the game.
The Red Sox are now 14.0 games behind first place, 8.0 out of the Wild Card and 10 far from .500. They will return to Fenway Park Monday and will face the New York Yankees.