BOSTON — Thursday’s game against the New York Yankees was unfortunate for the Red Sox and starter Eduardo Rodriguez.
The young lefty continued the dominance he’s found since spending some time in Pawtucket in June and early July, pitching seven innings of one-run ball. Rodriguez’s start was spoiled, though, by Boston’s bullpen and a defensive error in the eighth, en route to a 4-2 loss.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Disappointing.
The Red Sox had a lead through most of this game — albeit a slim one — but they couldn’t hang on late in the game. Reliever Brad Ziegler didn’t deliver in the eighth inning, and a costly mistake by right fielder Andrew Benintendi showed how thin Boston’s bench looks right now.
IT WAS OVER WHEN …
The Red Sox didn’t make any noise in the ninth.
Boston had a small two-run deficit to overcome with runners on the corners in the final frame, but the Yankees have closer Dellin Betances.
ON THE BUMP
— Rodriguez pitched one heck of game, continuing his streak of overpowering the Yankees. The lefty came in with a 4-1 record and 2.01 ERA in five starts against New York and shut them down once again Thursday, with his only blemish being a solo home run to Yankees catcher Austin Romine.
Rodriguez finished the night with one earned run on three hits with six strikeouts and one walk over seven innings.
— Ziegler had a rough go in the eighth inning, loading the bases on singles with one out. Benintendi then misplayed a Jacoby Ellsbury fly ball to score two runs, and another scored on an Alex Rodriguez groundout.
Ziegler finished with with three runs (one earned) on three hits with an intentional walk and two strikeouts.
— Matt Barnes struck out the side in the ninth.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Hanley Ramirez turned around the 5-for-33 slump he was in the last 10 games by coming through for the Red Sox on Thursday. The first baseman went 2-for-3 out of the cleanup spot with a double and two RBIs.
Aaron Hill replaced Ramirez after catcher Gary Sanchez barreled into the first baseman in the eighth inning and went 0-for-1.
— Sandy Leon went 3-for-4 with two doubles, AKA a routine night for the catcher.
— David Ortiz (1-for-3) and Dustin Pedroia (1-for-5) each collected a double. Ortiz added a run and a walk.
— Xander Bogaerts went 1-for-5 with a run, and Brock Holt went 1-for-4.
— Jackie Bradley Jr. (0-for-2), Travis Shaw (0-for-4) and Benintendi (0-for-3) all went hitless. Bradley and Benintendi walked once.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
Former Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima came back to Boston to throw out the first pitch Thursday.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox begin a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Fenway Park on Friday in a 7:10 p.m. ET matchup. It’ll be a battle between southpaws, as David Price will face off against D-Backs lefty Patrick Corbin.
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
