The latest chapter in the rivalry the Boston Red Sox share with the New York Yankees is grim reading for the Fenway Faithful.
The Yankees have erased a 10 1/2-game deficit on the Red Sox in the American League East standings and now occupy second place in the division on percentage points, following their doubleheader sweep Tuesday in the Bronx. New York’s comeback, which started July 6, is the third-largest for either team in the rivalry’s history, according to ESPN.
“1978: Yankees erased 14-gm deficit (year of Bucky Dent HR),” ESPN wrote in a Tweet. “1949: Red Sox erased 12-gm deficit.”
ESPN’s David Schoenfield offered further insight into the Yankees’ historic rally.
“On July 25, after losing the series final at Fenway Park, the Yankees were nine games back of the first-place Red Sox,” Schoenfield wrote. “Since July 26, the Yankees have gone 17-5, the best record in the majors, while the Red Sox have gone 8-14.
“Making up nine games in just over three weeks is incredible. Books were written about the famous 1978 pennant race when the Yankees were 14 games back in the middle of July and rallied to win the division — but it took them two months to make up that deficit, not 22 games. Yes, the Red Sox are still in a good position, but it’s a disheartening mental blow to lose all that ground to the Yankees (let alone trail the first-place Tampa Bay Rays now by five games).”
Red Sox manager Alex Cora called on the team to “play better” Tuesday following their loss in the second game of the doubleheader.
Boston and New York will play their series finale Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. NESN will air the matchup in full, with pregame coverage starting at 6 p.m. ET. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
