Xander Bogaerts crushed a go-ahead two-run home run as part of a four-RBI night to lift the Boston Red Sox past the visiting New York Mets 6-3 in the opener of a two-game series Tuesday.

Enrique Hernandez also homered as the Red Sox (87-65) ran their winning streak to six. Boston maintained its grip on the top American League wild card over the Toronto Blue Jays (1 1/2 games back) and New York Yankees (two games), who each won Tuesday.

Pete Alonso hit his 34th homer of the season for the Mets (73-78), who lost for the sixth time in their last seven games.

With the bases loaded and no outs in the third inning, Bogaerts hit a grounder to third that resulted in a double play, including the out at home plate. Mets starter Marcus Stroman got Rafael Devers to fly out to end the threat.

New York was ahead 2-1 when Hernandez's blast to lead off the fifth knotted the score. Kyle Schwarber doubled before Bogaerts atoned for his previous at-bat with a towering shot to left-center that gave Boston a 4-2 lead.

Bogaerts delivered again with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth, driving in two on a single for a 6-2 edge. Alonso's solo shot in the eighth off Garrett Richards closed the scoring.

Ryan Brasier (1-1) earned the win. Richards and Darwinzon Hernandez combined to pitch the ninth for the hosts.

Stroman (9-13) took the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits over five innings. He walked two and struck out three.

While Stroman escaped his jam unscathed in the third, Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez was unable to do the same in the fourth. The southpaw sandwiched a single around two walks to load the bases with no outs before a walk to J.D. Davis and Michael Conforto's single gave the Mets a 2-0 lead. Alonso was out at home on Conforto's hit.

Boston got on the board on back-to-back two-out doubles from Bobby Dalbec and Christian Vazquez in the fourth.

Rodriguez surrendered two runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings, walking three and whiffing five.

--Field Level Media