The Boston Red Sox needed a lift after losing to the New York Yankees in Game 1 of their doubleheader Sunday, and they got it during Game 2 in the form of David Price.
Price tossed eight shutout innings, allowing seven hits and striking out eight in the Red Sox’s 3-0 win at Fenway Park.
The Red Sox’s offense had sputtered for the past two games, but Mookie Betts launched a two-run blast off Masahiro Tanaka to give Boston the lead, and Price did the rest.
The Red Sox improved to 52-41 with the win, while the Yankees fell to 47-43 with the loss.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Relax.
The Red Sox had lost two games in a row and had been held scoreless for 24 consecutive innings until Betts’ two-run home run. But Price tossed a gem and the offense was able to score enough runs to earn a series split.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Craig Kimbrel struck out Chase Headley with two on and two out in the ninth inning.
Headley served as the tying run, but the Red Sox’s All-Star closer was able to slam the door.
ON THE BUMP
— Price was at his best when his best was needed.
The left-hander allowed just three hits through the first six innings before running into a little trouble in the seventh.
Starlin Castro led off the inning with a single and two batters later, Clint Frazier roped a base knock to left to bring the potential tying run to the plate with one out. Price, however, was able to wiggle out of the jam as he got Garrett Cooper to fly out to center field and induced a pop out off the bat of Ronald Torreyes to end the frame.
John Farrell elected to stick with Price against the heart of the Yankees’ order in the eighth, and it paid off, thanks to some help from Jackie Bradley Jr. Aaron Judge came up with a runner on first and one out and crushed a ball to deep right-center field that was ticketed for the bullpen. But Bradley, as he’s done so many times, glided back to the wall and timed his leap perfectly to rob Judge of a two-run blast.
Price stuck out Matt Holliday to end the eighth and finish his dominant outing.
— Kimbrel pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save of the season.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Betts (3-for-4, two RBIs) smoked a line drive over the Green Monster and onto Lansdowne Street in the third inning to give Boston a two-run lead. The home run was Betts’ 17th of the season.
— Boston struck again in the sixth inning when Dustin Pedroia (2-for-4) chased home Betts with an RBI single to give the Sox a three-run edge.
— Bradley joined Betts as the only Red Sox hitters with extra-base knocks. The center fielder went 1-for-3 with a double.
— Mitch Moreland (1-for-4) and Christian Vazquez (1-for-3) both reached base via single.
— Andrew Benintendi, Hanley Ramirez, Brock Holt and Tzu-Wei Lin all went hitless in the ball game.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
Perfect timing.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will begin a four-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday. Eduardo Rodriguez will take the hill for Boston and will be opposed by Marcus Stroman. First pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 7:08 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
