Photo credit Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Thousands of Yankees’ fans made the 215 mile trip to Boston. Still, the evening resided with the Red Sox.
Nathan Eovaldi started a stellar night on the mound, Kyle Schwarber stroked the game-winning run, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Yankees, 6-2 in front of a packed stadium on Tuesday at Fenway Park in the AL Wild Card game.
With the win, Boston will meet the Rays in the ALDS on Thursday night in Tampa Bay.
Throughout the stadium, Red Sox and Yankees jerseys were on display.
In one of the tightest division races in baseball, Boston and the Yankees tied for second place in the AL East standings at (92-70), eight games behind the division champion Rays (100-62), and the Blue Jays finished a game out of the conversion at (91-71)
Designated batter Schwarber gave Boston its third run of the game after slapping a home run to right field. The run symbolized all it needed to keep its season alive.
Kike Hernandez and Rafael Devers reached base with an infield single and a walk respectfully before Gerrit Cole left the game after seeing his quickest outing, two innings of work. Clay Holmes relieved Cole while retiring the side as Xander Bogaerts went down on a check-swing strikeout and Verdugo grounded into a double play.
Holmes pitched the third and fourth innings, surrendering one hit as Luis Severino recorded three straight outs in the bottom of the fifth when Arroyo and Schwarber grounded out before Hernandez popped out to rightfield.
The Yankees continued their search for base runners. In the sixth inning, Eovaldi fanned Rougned Odor. Yet the next batter, Anthony Rizzo, crushed a ball down the right-field line just inside the foul pole, cutting the lead, 3-1.
Later in the top of the sixth, Aaron Judge’s infield single chased Eovaldi, who pitched five and 1/3 innings, gave up four hits and one run, and eight strikeouts. It appeared New York would retain the momentum when Stanton hit a double off the Green Monster while Judge raced home from first base, where Bogaerts gunned the slugger down at the plate by shortstop Bogaerts.
The Red Sox picked up a run in the bottom of the sixth after Severino struck out Devers but walked Bogaerts and watched Verdugo tag an RBI double to the fence in right field. Boston led 4-1.
Combined, Boston and the Yankees sent 11 pitchers to the mound, and despite New York holding a 7-6 edge in hits, the Red Sox used a team effort of defense, pitching, and timely hitting to get the job done.
Sure, we expected more out of baseball’s top rivalry game, but anything can happen in nine innings.
Tanner Houck entered the seventh inning and continued Boston’s pitching dominance by mowing down the first three batters he faced. Torres popped out to center, Brett Gardner and Gio Urshela struck out to end the inning.
Boston sent six batters to the plate in the seventh inning as it stretched its lead, 6-1 when Jonathan surrendered two of three walks in the inning, including Schwarber, Hernandez, and Bogaerts to load the bases. Then Verdugo ripped a run-scoring single off Chad Green, scoring Bogaerts and Hernandez.
Robles and Whitlock pitched the eighth and ninth inning as Boston slammed the door. Odor and Sanchez flew out to centerfield, and Robles fanned Rizzo to get out of the eighth inning.
Yet, Stanton’s home run to right field off Garrett Whitlock gave Yankees’ fans hope, but Torres popped out to right field to end the game.
At the bottom of the first, Devers drew a two-out walk. Then Bogaerts rocked a deep shot to centerfield to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead. Still, the Yankees only had two hits in its first three innings, and no runs.
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