Everything has been going the Boston Red Sox’s way during their four-game series with the rival New York Yankees.
Boston took the first two games of the series in convincing fashion, and Saturday afternoon was no different at Fenway Park.
Nathan Eovaldi continued to dazzle, tossing eight shutout innings to extend his scoreless-innings streak in a Red Sox uniform to 15. The power-throwing right-hander had his entire repertoire working Saturday, as the Yankees were unable to get a runner past second base against him.
J.D. Martinez and Mitch Moreland carried the offense, blasting a home run apiece to lead the Sox to a 4-1 win.
Yankees rookie right-hander Chance Adams made his Major League Baseball debut and performed admirably, giving up three runs on three hits in five innings, but New York’s offense once again was unable to solve Boston’s starting pitcher.
With the win, the Red Sox increase their American League East lead to 8 1/2 games and improve to 78-34, while the Yankees fall to 68-41.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Deja vu.
A day after Rick Porcello tossed a complete-game, one-hitter against the Yankees, Eovaldi followed suit by mowing down the Yankees with relative ease.
ON THE BUMP
— Eovaldi was lights out Saturday afternoon, allowing three hits while striking out four and walking one.
The electric right-hander had it working from the first pitch, using his high-90s fastball and sharp slider to stymie the Yankees’ offense. New York only was able to muster three hits against Eovaldi and only had one runner advance to second base.
Eovaldi had to sweat a touch in the seventh when Giancarlo Stanton ripped a leadoff double to left. New York was unable to drive him in, though, as Eovaldi sat down Didi Gregorius, Aaron Hicks and Gleyber Torres in order to end the frame.
— Craig Kimbrel gave up a run in the ninth when Stanton and Gregorius smoked back-to-back doubles to make it 4-1.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox wasted no time getting to Adams. Andrew Benintendi laced a one-out single to center in the first and Moreland promptly followed by blasting a two-run home run into the bullpen.
— Boston extended the lead in the fourth inning when Martinez launched a solo home run into the Green Monster seats to make it 3-0. It was his 33rd home run of the season.
— A Sandy Leon RBI ground-rule double plated Eduardo Nunez in the seventh to make it 4-0.
— Benintendi, Moreland, Martinez, Nunez, Leon and Brock Holt each had one hit apiece.
— Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. went hitless.
TWEET OF THE GAME
It’s been a little one-sided.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Yankees will conclude their four-game series Sunday night. David Price will get the ball for Boston and will be opposed by Masahiro Tanaka. First pitch is set for 8:05 p.m.
