Missed opportunities marked the theme for the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, as both teams flirted with a lead neither seemed to want.
Ultimately the Yankees managed to pull it out, 6-3, thanks to a huge eighth-inning led by Aaron Judge and another homer for Giancarlo Stanton.
With the win, the Yankees improve to 89-67 and edge the 88-68 Red Sox for the first wild card spot in the American League.
Here’s the full box score.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
A win for Boston wouldn’t have been pretty, but New York certainly got lucky here. Especially after the seventh inning.
The Red Sox tied the game in their half of the seventh frame, and with two outs, Kyle Schwarber hit a pop-up foul. Instead of catching it to end the inning, D.J. LeMahieu lost the ball in the air. After Schwarber put it in play, Joey Gallo misplayed another pop up, which went for an outfield error and allowed Alex Verdugo to score.
Unfortunately for the Red Sox, their defensive miscues proved more costly as Bobby Dalbec misplayed a pop up in foul territory and Christian Vázquez couldn’t handle a third strike prior to Judge’s eventual game-winning hit in the eighth.
STARS OF THE GAME
— Verdugo’s clutch run came as result of him going 2-for-4 at the plate, adding some pop to the bottom of the order. The winning run came after a well placed bunt from the outfielder.
— Rafael Devers made a small but crucial play, stealing second base after getting on with a single in the fourth. Xander Bogaerts followed him up with another base hit to advance Devers to third before J.D. Martinez brought him home with a sacrifice fly for the first run of the game. Devers finished 2-for-4 with a run.
— Credit where credit is due, Giancarlo Stanton’s eighth-inning, two-run blast traveled 448 feet and went well over the Green Monster. He’s been the Red Sox’s kryptonite this series, and Sunday was much of the same.
WAGER WATCH
The fourth inning was a great time to bet on a Yankees win, as their odds fell to +210 (bet $100 to win $210) after the Red Sox tied the game, per DraftKings Sportsbook.
NEXT UP ON NESN
The Red Sox get a day off Monday before finishing off the last six games of the regular season. And Boston will need every win it can muster against the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals.
First pitch between the Red Sox and Orioles on Tuesday is at 7:05 p.m. ET.
