Boston’s Xander Bogaerts, right, is congratulated by J.D. Martinez after his two-run home run in the fifth inning against the New York Mets Tuesday night at Fenway Park. Charles Krupa/Associated Press
BOSTON — Xander Bogaerts hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the fifth inning and a two-run double in the sixth, lifting the AL wild-card leading Boston Red Sox over the stumbling New York Mets 6-3 on Tuesday night.
With the Red Sox wearing jarring yellow and blue uniforms, Boston won its sixth straight game and remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Toronto for the top AL wild card with 10 games remaining. The Red Sox trail first-place Tampa Bay by six games in the AL East.
New York lost for the sixth time in seven games, intensifying pressure on Manager Luis Rojas as Steve Cohen’s first season as owner nears a disappointing end.
The Mets are 73-78 and 6 1/2 games behind in the NL East, and they dropped 8 1/2 games back for the second NL wild card.
They literally are stumbling.
Pete Alonso was thrown out trying to score on Michael Conforto’s bases-loaded single with no outs in the fourth. With runners on second and third and one out in the fifth, Brandon Nimmo fell after rounding second on Francisco Lindor’s double.
Kiké Hernández also homered for the Red Sox, 12-4 against National League teams this season. The Red Sox have won five in a row over the Mets.
New York led 2-0 in the fourth and allowed six straight runs. Alonso hit his 34th homer in the eighth off Garrett Richards.
With the Mets ahead 2-1 in the fifth, Ryan Brasier (1-1) relieved with runners at second and third and one out, struck out Javier Báez and retired Alonso on a groundout.
Darwinzon Hernandez threw a called third strike past Nimmo with a runner on second for the final out.
New York went 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position. The Mets loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth and took a 2-0 lead when Eduardo Rodríguez walked J.D. Davis with the bases loaded and Conforto hit an RBI single.
Boston began its 45th comeback win of the year in the bottom half when Bobby Dalbec hit a two-out double high off the center-field wall and scored as Christian Vázquez doubled over left fielder Kevin Pillar, who appeared to misread the ball.
Hernández homered leading off the fifth, Kyle Schwarber doubled and Bogaerts followed with his 23rd homer for a 4-2 lead.
Marcus Stroman (9-13) allowed four runs, seven hits and three walks in five innings. He is 0-1 in five starts since winning at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 22.
Rodríguez gave up two runs, five hits and three walks.
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