Yankees Game 148: Another heartbreaker as Yanks lose fourth straight
New York Yankees 5 - Boston Red Sox 6 After losing the first two games of a four game set with the Boston Red Sox, the Yankees looked to bounce back sending Bryan Mitchell to the mound. Pitching for the Red Sox on Saturday afternoon was left-hander David Price. Boston gave New York an early scare with second baseman Dustin Pedroia driving one down the line deep, but foul. In the second inning, Mookie Betts reached on a misplayed pop up to short, and Hanley Ramirez reached on a dribbler to third, giving the Red Sox runners at first and second with no outs. Mitchell would pitch out of the jam, getting a pop out to short on Travis Shaw, a fly out to center by Sandy Leon, and striking out Jackie Bradley Jr. The Yankees led off the third with a single to left center field by Austin Romine. Romine would score from first on an RBI triple hit to the deepest part of Fenway Park in right center field, giving the Yankees a 1-0 lead. With two outs, catcher Gary Sanchez crushed a two-run home-run over the Green Monster, extending the lead to 3-0. Starlin Castro would fly out to right field to end the inning.
Andrew Benintendi doubled, barely missing a home-run to dead center field to lead off the bottom half of the third inning. Benintendi would tag up and advance to third on a line drive out to Rob Refsnyder in right field, and would score when Xander Bogaerts lined a double to the left center field wall. With David Ortiz up to bat, Bogaerts advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a ground out to Castro at second base. Boston picked up two runs, leaving the Yankees with a 3-2 lead after three innings. The Yankees did not hesitate getting those two runs back. After back-to-back singles by Didi Gregorius and Chase Headley in the fourth inning, Romine would drive both players in on a double to left field. The Red Sox would go down one, two, three in the bottom half.
With two outs in the fifth inning, Castro doubled on a line drive to center field, but pulled up as he ran into second base. He would leave the game with what looks like a right hamstring injury. Castro was replaced by Ronald Torreyes who would remain in the game defensively at second base. Mark Teixeira replaced Billy Butler, batting fifth and playing first base as well. After a walk to Jackie Bradley Jr. to lead off the inning, Bogaerts would hit a two-out home-run, bringing Boston back within one run of the Yankees. Mitchell's day was done following the home-run after 4.2 innings and was replaced by Luis Severino. Mitchell allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits, walked one batter and struck out three. Mason Williams replaced Refsnyder in right field when the Yankees took the field in the bottom of the sixth inning. Hanley Ramirez led off the inning with a double to center field. After two outs, Severino would pitch himself into a jam, loading the bases on back-to-back walks to Bradley Jr. and Benintendi. He pitched to a full count against Pedroia, but on the seventh pitch of the at-bat, Pedroia was called out looking at a 99-mph fastball on the outside corner.
The Red Sox tied the game in the bottom of the seventh after a double and single by Bogaerts and Betts, respectively. Ortiz advanced Bogaerts to third on a groundout before Betts drove him in. Ramirez singled in the inning as well. With Leon at the plate, Betts scored on a wild pitch by Adam Warren, giving the Red Sox a 6-5 lead. Red Sox skipper John Farrell brought in closer Craig Kimbrel for the four out save after Gregorius walked with two outs in the eighth inning. When the Yankees came out defensively in the eighth inning, Jacoby Ellsbury, who appeared to hurt his left knee crashing into the wall in the 7th inning, did not come onto the field. Brett Gardner moved to center field and Tyler Austin came in left field. The Yankees could not get anything going against Kimbrel as he struck out all four of the batters he faced. Win - Matt Barnes (4-3) Loss - Adam Warren (6-4) Save - Craig Kimbrel (27) Notables New York Yankees *Gary Sanchez - 1 for 4, R, HR (15, 3rd inning), 2 RBI (29) *Austin Romine - 2 for 4, R, 2 RBI (24) Boston Red Sox *Xander Bogaerts - 3 for 4, 3 R, HR (20, 5th inning), 3 RBI (88) *Mookie Betts - 2 for 4, R, RBI (106)