Game 1 goes to the New York Yankees.
In what’s a crucial four-game series between American League East rivals at Yankee Stadium, New York took Thursday’s matchup with a 6-2 win over the first-place Red Sox. As a result, Boston’s division lead is down to 4.5 games.
Eduardo Rodriguez and the bullpen had their struggles on the mound, and the Sox’s bats only mustered four hits. Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia, meanwhile, only allowed one earned run on four hits with five walks and six strikeouts over six innings, and his offense put up 14 hits.
The Red Sox fell to 76-58, while the Yankees improved to 71-62.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Blah.
There wasn’t much excitement from the Boston bats in this one.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
New York scored three insurance runs in the sixth. With the way Boston was hitting Thursday night, that was more than enough to put the game out of reach.
ON THE BUMP
— Things started to fall apart for Rodriguez in the third inning. During that frame, Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez hit his 28th home run of the season on a solo shot to center field, evening the score at 1-1.
The Yankees then took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, but it wasn’t Rodriguez’s fault. Sanchez’s hit a pop up to shallow right field that could have been caught by Eduardo Nunez or Mookie Betts, but the ball fell in the outfield, and Brett Gardner scored.
And New York got to him for three more runs in the sixth, as he allowed a double, a two-run homer (Greg Bird) and a single before he was pulled with no outs in the inning. He allowed five earned runs on 10 hits while walking two and striking out four in five-plus innings.
— Fernando Abad got two outs in relief, but he also allowed an inherited run to score.
— Heath Hembree got the final out of the sixth, but he allowed two walks and two singles without getting anyone out before he was pulled in the seventh. The run came across on a Bird single.
— Robby Scott ended the threat with a double play and strikeout.
— Blaine Boyer had two strikeouts in the eighth.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Xander Bogaerts was ruled out following a review on a ground out in the top of the third inning, but Eduardo Nunez came around to score the first run of the game.
— Andrew Benintendi went 2-for-2 with three walks.
— Christian Vazquez and Nunez both had one hit. The rest of the lineup was hitless.
— Boston loaded the bases in the top of the ninth thanks to a walk and two hit batters. Benintendi walked in a run to make it 6-2.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
The “Judge’s Chambers” had its biggest star yet Thursday night.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will resume their four-game series with the Yankees on Friday night at Yankee Stadium. Doug Fister is scheduled to get the start for Boston opposite New York’s Sonny Gray. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Andy Marlin/USA TODAY Sports Images
