The Red Sox are back in the win column.
Boston took the series opener against the New York Yankees by a score of 5-3 on Friday night at Fenway Park after honoring Dustin Pedroia in front of a sold-out crowd.
Martín Pérez, for the fifth time this season, lasted fewer than four innings. The lefty got through just 3 2/3 frames and gave up three unearned runs, which came by way of an error. Boston’s bullpen held it down, though, and did not allow New York to score an earned run.
With the win, the Red Sox moved to 45-31, while the Yankees fell to 40-35.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Bullpen.
After Pérez couldn’t get out of the fourth, the relief pitchers allowed just three hits for the rest of the game.
ON THE BUMP
— Pérez pitched a 1-2-3 first before running into some trouble in the second.
The left-hander loaded the bags by way of a walk, single and fielder’s choice. A walk to Clint Frazier forced in a run before DJ LeMahieu tied it at 3-3 with a single.
Pérez worked around two men on in the third and allowed more traffic in the fourth. The Yankees tried to tie things up when Phil Nevin sent Gio Urshela home from second with nobody out, but Hunter Renfroe threw him out in what could be his best assist this season.
A Miguel Andújar single was enough for Alex Cora to make a move to his bullpen.
— Hirokazu Sawamura threw just one pitch to get the third out of the fourth.
He returned to pitch a scoreless fifth with two strikeouts.
— Garrett Whitlock had the sixth and pitched a scoreless frame with two strikeouts before tossing a 1-2-3 seventh.
— Adam Ottavino racked up two strikeouts in a scoreless, hitless eighth.
— Matt Barnes closed out the game in the ninth for his 16th save of the season.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox opened up the scoring with a three-run first.
Back-to-back singles from Michael Chavis and Alex Verdugo allowed Xander Bogaerts to double in two runs.
— Renfroe made it 3-0 with an RBI-double of his own before the first inning came to a close.
— Boston reclaimed the lead in the third without amassing a hit.
J.D. Martinez walked to begin the inning and moved to third when Domingo Germán committed an error and put Rafael Devers on. Renfroe smacked a sacrifice fly to center to make it a 4-3 game, which ultimately ended Germán’s night.
— The Red Sox added some insurance in the eighth when Christian Vázquez drove in Renfroe from second to make it 5-3.
— Vázquez was the only Red Sox starter with multiple hits.
TWEET OF THE GAME
It was an awesome ceremony for Pedroia.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox continue their series against the Yankees on Saturday. Nathan Eovaldi is slated to take the mound for Boston opposite New York southpaw Jordan Montgomery. First pitch from Fenway Park is set for 7:15 p.m. ET.
