Mets hold on to win rain-suspended opener over Sox

July 22nd, 2023

BOSTON -- It took an extra 18 hours or so, but the Mets eventually earned the much-needed victory they sought at Fenway Park.

After Friday night’s game was suspended in the fourth inning due to heavy rainfall, the Mets completed a 5-4 victory over the Red Sox on Saturday to win for the fourth time in their last five games. It was a bit disjointed -- the Mets relied on five relief pitchers to finish things after Kodai Senga threw the first 3 1/3 innings before the suspension. But those pitchers continually escaped trouble to secure the win for the Mets.

By the time Saturday dawned, the scoring was mostly done. Leading 4-3 at the resumption of play, the Mets extended their lead on a Brett Baty RBI single in the sixth inning. That proved crucial when Triston Casas led off the bottom of the seventh with a triple and scored on Rob Refsnyder’s sacrifice fly.

Grant Hartwig, who relieved Senga with two scoreless innings, earned the win. David Robertson pitched the ninth for the save.

For the Mets, the bulk of the offensive damage occurred on Friday, when Brandon Nimmo and Daniel Vogelbach each hit two-run homers before the rain began falling. Vogelbach’s shot gave them a lead that they did not relinquish, even all those hours later.