New York Yankees 9 – Boston Red Sox 4
After losing the first game, the Yankees looked to even the series with the rival Boston Red Sox.
Nathan Eovaldi pitched a perfect first inning but that was all he could do. He was removed from the game with right elbow discomfort so the bullpen was going to be put into a heavy workload immediately.
Chasen Shreve came on for a scoreless second inning and returned for the third inning but ran into trouble. After a lead off single by Sandy Leon, Shreve retired Andrew Benintendi but a double by Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts getting hit by a pitch loaded the bases and ended Shreve’s night on the mound. Newcomer Blake Parker generated a ground ball but it could not be turned for a double play as the first run of the game scored in favor of the Red Sox.
Blake Parker returned for the fourth inning and got the first out of the inning before a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases. A potential double play ball resulted in one out as the second run scored for the Red Sox.
The Yankees got on the board in the fifth inning when Didi Gregorius led off with a solo home run against Boston Red Sox starter Drew Pomeranz. Prior to the home run, Pomeranz had only allowed two hits through the first four innings. Gary Sanchez and Austin Romine followed with singles but a strikeout of Aaron Hicks and a double play of Brett Gardner kept the Yankees to just one run.
In the sixth inning, Tommy Layne started an inning after getting the last two outs in the fifth inning. He started the inning with a lead off walk that came around to score after a Dustin Pedroia single. Tyler Clippard came on and got a ground out but the double play was not completed when another run scored. Mookie Betts got a base hit off of the center field wall. Familiar with Fenway, Jacoby Ellsbury played the carom perfectly as he delivered it to Didi Gregorius who relayed it to Austin Romine to get Bogaerts out at home to deny the Red Sox another run in the two-run sixth inning.
In the seventh inning, Matt Barnes was the second Red Sox reliever of the game and got off to a rough start when Didi Gregorius and Gary Sanchez led off with singles. Austin Romine came up with a run-scoring single and the deficit was cut down to two. After one out, Fernando Abad came on in relief. Brett Gardner struck out as the second out of the inning but Jacoby Ellsbury and Chase Headley followed with run-scoring singles to tie the game, 4-4. Junichi Tazawa came in as the third reliever of the inning but started it with a walk of Mark Teixeira.
With the bases loaded, Starlin Castro came through with a line drive into the left field corner, scoring two runs and putting the Yankees back ahead.
Notably in the seventh inning, Alex Rodriguez came on as the potential go-ahead run. Met with resounding boos from the Fenway faithful, Rodriguez flew out to right.
After the five-run seventh inning, Gary Sanchez achieved a first in the eighth inning. On a moonshot to left center field, Gary Sanchez hit his first career home run.
Following the home run, Tazawa exited after a walk. Robbie Ross came on in relief and gave up a single to Rob Refsnyder. He got the first out of the inning but a walk of Jacoby Ellsbury and a pair of wild pitches allowed two more runs to score, extending the Yankees lead to five.
Adam Warren pitched two scoreless innings and Dellin Betances joined the party that saw every Yankees reliever make an appearance. Betances pitched a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts to wrap up tonight’s win.
Win – Tyler Clippard (3-3)
Loss – Fernando Abad (1-6)
Notables
Yankees
*Starlin Castro – 1 for 5, 2B, 2 RBI (48)
*Didi Gregorius – 2 for 5, 2 R, Solo home run (14) in the 5th, RBI (50)
*Gary Sanchez – 4 for 5, 2 R, Solo home run (1) in the 8th, RBI (4)
Red Sox
*Dustin Pedroia – 2 for 5, 2B, RBI (50)
*Sandy Leon – 2 for 3, 2 R, BB
Current Yankees Record: 57-56
