New York Yankees 4 – Boston Red Sox 5
Wrapping up a difficult series, featuring leads surrendered in heartbreaking fashion, the Yankees looked to prevent a four-game series sweep in Boston.
In the first inning against Drew Pomeranz, Brett Gardner led off with a double. Following a pair of strikeouts, Billy Butler walked to extend the inning and Didi Gregorius made it count as he hit a run-scoring single to right to put the Yankees ahead early. In the bottom of the first inning, CC worked around a pair of two-out singles by striking out Chris Young for the last out to keep the Red Sox off the scoreboard.
The game remained 1-0 in favor of the Yankees until the powerful Baby Bomber added to the lead in the third inning. With two outs, Gary Sanchez lined a solo home run over the monster to put the Yankees ahead by two.
In the fourth inning, recently recalled Donovan Solano got on base with a slow-rolling single down the third base line. Mason Williams followed with a hustle double to put two runners in scoring position. After a walk of Rob Refsnyder loaded the bases, Brett Gardner grounded into a force out that allowed a run to score. Another force out by Ronald Torreyes made it 4-0 for the Yankees and knocked Pomeranz out of the game.
No lead is safe in Fenway and yet another game in this series proved this to be true.
In the fifth inning, Bryan Holaday led off with a ground-rule double to center field. With one out, Bogaerts walked and a crucial error on Mookie Betts‘ ground ball back to Sabathia extended the inning. On the ground ball, Sabathia threw it over first baseman Billy Butler, putting two in scoring position for the hottest bat of the series, Hanley Ramirez. Behind in the count 3-1, Hanley Ramirez took the slider just over the monster for a three-run home run. With one swing after an error, the Yankees three-run lead was cut down to one.
Surprisingly, CC Sabathia returned for the sixth inning and immediately surrendered a pair of singles to Travis Shaw and Aaron Hill. Jackie Bradley Jr. followed with a single of his own to score Shaw and tied the game at 4-4. Blake Parker was called on to hold the Red Sox to just tying the game and started by striking out pinch-hitter David Ortiz on three pitches. A ground out and strikeout ended the inning but the game was tied following a huge error.
In five innings, CC Sabathia allowed four runs on eight hits. He walked three and struck out five. The reason all the runs were earned despite the fielding error is because Sabathia caused the error himself.
In the seventh inning, Hanley Ramirez continued haunting the Yankees this weekend when he took Tyler Clippard deep for his second home run of the night and fourth of the four-game series.
The Yankees were unable to score in the final two innings of the game, as Joe Kelly and Koji Uehara shut down the Yankees bats, who were held off the scoreboard since the fourth inning.
The four-game sweep of the Yankees at the hands of the Red Sox is the first time since 1990.
Win – Robby Scott (1-0)
Loss – Tyler Clippard (3-4)
Save – Koji Uehara (7)
Notables
Yankees
*Gary Sanchez – 3 for 5, R, Solo home run (16) in the 3rd, RBI (30)
*Brett Gardner – 1 for 5, R, 2B, RBI (38)
Red Sox
*Hanley Ramirez – 3 for 4, 2 R, 2 HR (28; Solo & three-run) in the 5th & 7th, 4 RBI (106)
*Jackie Bradley Jr. – 1 for 4, RBI (86)
Current Yankees Record: 77-71
