Yankee Stadium has not been a place David Price has enjoyed since he joined the Boston Red Sox.
The lefty was 8-2 with a 3.23 ERA in 15 games in the Bronx prior to joining the Sox, and 0-7 with a 10.13 ERA in seven games since, including the postseason.
But Sunday night, Price was nails when he needed to be, sparking the Sox toward an 8-5 win over the New York Yankees in the Bronx.
The Red Sox were in the midst of a four-game slide, and at risk of getting swept and falling 10 1/2 games back in the American League East when Price toed the rubber.
He responded by tossing an incredibly efficient 6 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits with six strikeouts and one walk. He started his evening by sitting down the first 10 batters he faced, allowing Boston to build a 3-0 lead. Outside of a spotty second inning in which he allowed four consecutive hits, including a home run to Luke Voit, Price was pretty lights out.
In fact, it was Price’s longest start in the Bronx while in a Boston uniform, picking up his first win in the Bronx since Sept. 11, 2015 when he did so as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.
And while Price has struggled against the Yankees in the past, he’s been Boston’s most consistent arm when healthy this season.
Sunday makes Price 3-2 with a 2.83 ERA, garnering serious All-Star consideration.
Here are some other notes from Sunday’s Red Sox-Yankees game:
— The Red Sox picked up their first win of the season against the Yankees.
Boston was 0-4 against the Yanks after a two-game sweep at Fenway Park in April. The Sox had not dropped five straight to the Yankees in a single season since 2015.
— Michael Chavis legged out his first career triple.
The 23-year-old lofted one to right that took a weird bounce that Clint Frazier misread, allowing Chavis to turn on the jets.
Chavis also made a key defensive stop, saving a run with this diving snag in the seventh.
— Alex Cora turned to Matt Barnes in the eighth with the Red Sox up by six runs.
A passing torrential downpour made things quite an adventure as the righty loaded the bases with no outs and balked in a run. He allowed three runs in the frame.
On one hand, it showed how much the Red Sox were pushing for Sunday’s win with an off day on Monday, and on the other it shows the lack of reliable options Cora has at his disposal.
— Brandon Workman recorded his second save of the season. Five Boston relievers now are a combined 13-for-22 in save opportunities.
— The next time to two rivals will meet up will be June 29th, in London.
