New York Yankees 3 — Boston Red Sox 4
New faces are no factor in series opening loss.
After some additions to the team, Chris Capuano would start the first game of August and it would be against his former team, the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox, after making an overhaul of the team, looking forward to next season would send prospect Anthony Ranaudo to the mound for his major league debut. The scoring would not start until the third inning.
With one out in the bottom of the third, lead off hitter Brock Holt would hit a ground ball down the right field line that Ichiro Suzuki would have a difficult time fielding it and Holt would have a triple. Dustin Pedroia would follow with a ground-rule double to deep center field to score the first run of the game. David Ortiz followed with a single to make it a two-run game.
The Yankees would respond with the 13th home run of the season by Carlos Beltran but the Sox got it back too. Will Middlebrooks started the fourth inning with a double and catcher David Ross would plate the third Red Sox run of the game. After the run-scoring single by Ross, Chris Capuano would settle down, retiring nine consecutive.
Through the first three innings of the game, Ranaudo walked one in each inning but he was not hurt by this. But in the sixth inning, a lead off walk to Jacoby Ellsbury would come around. Ellsbury would successfully steal second base after initially being called out but a challenge of the call got it overturned. This would prove to be very important. Carlos Beltran would come through for the Yankees once again with a single to center field and Ellsbury scored for the second run for the Yankees.
After a single and a sacrifice put a runner on second, Chris Capuano would exit, replaced with Shawn Kelley. A single by Pedroia would find its way through to center field and the Red Sox got another run. Matt Thornton would throw one pitch after Kelley’s one batter and generated a double play to finish the seventh inning.
In 6.1 innings, Chris Capuano allowed four runs on eight hits while walking none and striking out five. The fourth run allowed, with Kelley on the mound would turn out to be huge.
With a two-run lead in the eighth inning, Junichi Tazawa would come in looking to hold onto the lead for closer Koji Uehara. Derek Jeter would welcome Tazawa to the game with a solo home run over the green monster in left field to make it a one-run game. Center fielder Mookie Betts would make an outstanding catch in center field to rob Jacoby Ellsbury of extra bases. This would be a big out as Mark Teixeira followed with a ground rule double to left field. The double would go to waste as he would be stranded there as the tying run.
Koji Uehara would throw a scoreless ninth inning and that was the end of the game..
Stephen Drew made his Yankees debut at second base, batting eighth in the order. He did not have any difficult plays in the field and was actively involved in double plays. He was hitless in four at-bats tonight. Martin Prado was not in the starting lineup but he would come into the game in the seventh inning against lefty reliever Tommy Layne. He would also go hitless in two at-bats tonight, striking out once.
Win – Anthony Ranaudo (1-0)
Loss – Chris Capuano (1-2)
Save – Koji Uehara (22)
Notables
Yankees
*Carlos Beltran – 2 for 3, R, BB, Solo Home Run (13) in the 4th, 2 RBI (39)
*Derek Jeter – 1 for 4, R, Solo Home Run (3) in the 8th, RBI (28)
Red Sox
*Dustin Pedroia – 2 for 4, R, 2B, 2 RBI (40)
*David Ortiz – 1 for 4, RBI (78)
Current Yankees Record: 55-53
