The good news was the Boston Celtics eliminated the Philadelphia Sixers with a victory in Game 5 of their second round NBA playoff series but the bad news was the Boston Red Sox lost to the New York Yankees. It was fun while it lasted but the Red Sox are no longer in first place. The Yankees offense came into the season regarded as the best and they proved it tonight. Not even "Slick" Rick Porcello and Craig Kimbrel could slow them down as they pounded out 12 hits and 9 runs to take over first place with a decisive 9-6 victory at Yankee Stadium. The Red Sox are in deep trouble and may have to settle for the wild card if they can't stop this offense. That was a mugging with an audience.
Tanaka took the mound in the top of the first inning and Mr. Mookie Betts whiffed to start. Andrew Benintendi flied out to center and Hanley Ramirez whiffed to end the inning. The Yankees wasted no time scoring off Porcello in the bottom of the first inning. Brett Gardner doubled and Aaron Judge singled him home just like that Didi Gregorious whiffed and Giancarlo Stanton banged into a double play to end the inning but it was 1-0 Yankees.
The Sox struck back in the top of the second inning although JD Martinez grounded out to short to start. Xander Bogaerts singled and Mitch Moreland smashed a 2 run home run to right to give the Sox the lead. Eduardo Nunez lined out to right but Rafael Devers and Sandy Leon stroked back to back singles. Mr. Mookie grounded into a force to end the inning but the Sox were up 2-1.
The Yankees threatened in the bottom of the second although Gary Sanchez grounded back to the mound to start. Aaron Hicks walked but Neil Walker was rung up for strike three. Miguel Andujar singled and Hicks stole third, but Gleyber Torres grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Sox failed to score in the top of the third even though Benintendi led off with a walk. Ramirez banged into a double play but Martinez walked. Bogaerts singled but Moreland whiffed to end the inning. The Yankees smacked around Porcello in the bottom of the third as Gardner led off with a double. Judge walked and both runners moved over on the ground out to first by Gregorius. Stanton doubled both runners in to give the Yankees the lead and Sanchez singled Stanton to third. Hicks scored Stanton with a sac fly and Walker flied out to center to end the inning with the Yankees ahead 4-2
Tanaka cruised in the top of the fourth as Nunez lined out to center to start. Devers singled to center but Leon banged into a double play to end the inning. Porcello recovered in the bottom of the fourth as Andujar flied out to right. Torres grounded out to third and Gardner grounded out to first to end the inning.
The Sox got a run back in the top of the fifth although Mr. Mookie grounded back to the mound to begin. Benintendi crushed a solo home run to right to bring the Sox within a run. Ramirez flied out to left and Martinez lined out to right to end the inning but it was 4-3 Yankees.
The Yankees got that run right back in the bottom of the fifth. Judge hit a squibber in front of Porcello and Rick threw the ball away, allowing Judge to reach second. Gregorius walked and Stanton was hit with a pitch to load the bases with nobody out. In a moral victory, Sanchez scored Judge but on a sac fly. Gregorius was out at home on a force by Hicks and Walker lined out to end the inning but it was 5-3 Yankees.
The Sox struck again in the top of the sixth when Bogaerts doubled to start. Moreland advanced Xander to third on a ground out and that was it for Tanaka. Yankees manager Aaron Boone brought in Chad Green to pitch to Nunez and Eduardo scored Bogaerts with a sac fly. Devers whiffed to end the inning but it was 5-4 Yankees.
Porcello returned briefly in the bottom of the sixth by striking out Andujar to start. Torres singled and that was it for Porcello. He lasted just 5 1/3 and gave up 5 runs, not good.
Brian Johnson came in and got Torres at second on a force by Gardner before Judge flied out to right to end the inning.
The Sox shocked the Yankees by taking the lead in the top of the seventh inning although Brock "The Hitman" Holt pinch hit for Leon only to line out to short. Mr. Mookie lined out to left but Benintendi walked. Ramirez smashed a 2 run bomb to left to put the Sox on top. Martinez singled but Bogaerts whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-5.
Johnson returned for the bottom of the seventh with Christian Vazquez now behind the plate. Gregorius lined out to left and that was it for Brian as Sox manager Alex Cora brought in Carson Smith. Stanton grounded out to short but Sanchez singled. Smith froze Hicks for strike three to end the inning.
Chasen Shreve took over for the top of the eighth and walked Moreland. Nunez doubled and this is where the Sox pissed the game away. They had a 1 run lead and 2 men in scoring position with nobody out. Guess what happened? Devers whiffed badly and Jonathan Holder whiffed Vazquez. Mr. Mookie was intentionally walked to load the bases and Benintendi grounded out to short to end the inning. It was a complete waste considering the Yankees exploded in the bottom of the eighth off Matt Barnes. Walker led off with a double and moved to third on the Andujar ground-out. Torres walked and Cora made the decision to bring in Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel to stop the bleeding early. It failed....Gardner tripled to put the Yankees back on top. Judge followed up with a 970 foot bomb to ice it just like that. Gregorius whiffed and so did Stanton to end the inning but the Yankees turned a 6-5 deficit into a 9-6 lead in about 40 seconds.
Aroldis Chapman had a 3 run lead and cruised in the top of the ninth. Ramire whiffed but Martinez singled. Bogaerts and Moreland both whiffed to end the game. The Yankees had won and took over first place with the 9-6 win.
Jackass of the Night is Craig Kimbrel. He allowed the two run triple and the two run homer to put the game out of reach.
The Good:
Andrew Benintendi was 1 for 3 with 2 walks, 2 total runs scored and a solo home run.
JD Martinez was 2 for 4 with a walk.
Xander Bogaerts was 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
Eduardo Nunez was 1 for 3 with an rbi.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 4.
Sandy Leon was 1 for 2.
Brian Johnson pitched a full scoreless inning.
Carson Smith retired 2 of the 3 men he faced.
The Bad:
Brock Holt was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Rick Porcello sucked, lasting just 5 1/3 innings and giving up 5 runs on 8 hits and 3 walks.
Matt Barnes took the loss by allowing 2 runs in 1/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 but walked.
Hanley Ramirez was just 1 for 5 but made the hit count as it was a 2 run home run.
Mitch Moreland was just 1 for 4 with a walk but the hit was a 2 run home run.
Final Thoughts:
Well this completely sucks. The Sox started like a house of fire at 17-2 and less than 3 weeks later they're out of first place. They were never the same after the no-hitter and it was like the Yankees snapped their fingers and decided to dominate. The Yankees have pounded the Sox the first two games of this series and it doesn't look like it will end there. A sweep is definitely on the horizon and it doesn't look like the Sox will ever come back from this. The Yankees offense overcompensated for their mediocre pitched and the Sox can't do anything about it. The loss drops the Sox to 25-11, 1 game behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Yankees finish off the sweep with Eduardo Rodriguez getting dominated by CC Sabathia at 7:05 PM at Yankee Stadium.
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