NEW YORK — Andrew Monasterio and Masataka Yoshida hit two-run homers as the surging Boston Red Sox played after a night of normal rest and extended their winning streak to eight games with a 4-0 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday.
Boston has its longest winning streak since winning 10 straight from July 4 to July 13 last year. The Red Sox won 13 of 15 and 16 of 21.
The Red Sox were late for the first game of Friday’s series after flight problems left them stranded in Chicago for nearly 24 hours. Boston mocked the ordeal by wearing white T-shirts that read “Show and Go Airlines, see you at 4:15.”
After a leadoff walk to Caleb Durbin in the fourth, Monasterio gave the Red Sox the lead by sending a fastball from Freddy Peralta (5-8) into the left field seats. Durbin singled Tobias Myers, who started in right, and Yoshida hit a 1-0 hit to the right field seats.
Eduardo Rivera started with 3 1/3 hitless innings in his first major league start, allowing Jorge Polanco to hit a single on his final pitch.
Greg Weissert and Giovani Moran (2-2) combined to pitch the next 2 2/3 innings, and Justin Slaten escaped a jam with the bases loaded in the eighth with a third hit off rookie AJ Ewing, who lost the ABS challenge.
Danny Coulombe finished in the eighth after Polanco’s double play to complete Boston’s ninth league shutout.
Peralta allowed two runs, three hits and five walks in 4 1/3 innings. He’s 0-3 with a 7.59 ERA in his last five starts.
New York (40-56) went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position for the second straight day. The Mets lost for the ninth time and were held to three or fewer hits for the eighth time.
LHP Payton Tolle (5-6, 3.14 ERA) starts for Boston on Sunday. Rookie RHP Zach Thornton (0-1, 4.35) will likely pitch for the Mets rookie.