As for the game, the Yankees are in deep trouble. The Sox are steamrolling them in this huge four game set and today was no different. Riding the hot hand of Nathan Eovaldi (2-0,0.00 ERA) and timely offense from the bats, the Sox survived a 9th inning surge to take their third game in a row against New York. When all was said and done the Sox walked away with a 4-1 win to give them an 8.5 game lead heading into a potential sweep tomorrow night at Fenway Park.
Eovaldi began his masterpiece in the top of the first inning by getting Brett Gardner to pop up to second to begin the ballgame. Giancarlo Stanton whiffed and Didi Gregorius popped up to short to end the inning. The Yankees started rookie Chance Adams making his major league debut n the bottom of the firs and the Sox didn't waste any time scoring off him. Mr. Mookie Betts grounded out to third to start before Andrew Benintendi singled to center. Mitch Moreland kept up the offense this series with a 2 run shot to give the Sox the lead. JD Martinez lined out to right and Xander Bogaerts flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0 on the rookie.
Eovaldi kept the lead intact in the top of the second inning although he walked Aaron Hicks to start. Gleybar Torres banged into a double play and Greg Bird flied out to center to end the inning. Adams settled down in the bottom of the second as Eduardo Nunez grounded out to short to start. Brock "The Hitman" Holt grounded out to first and Sandy Leon lined out to short to end the inning,
Eovaldi was unhittable in the top of the third inning as Miguel Andujar whiffed to start. Austin Romine grounded out to short and Shane Robinson flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the third as Jackie Bradley Jr lined out to center to start before Mr. Mookie swung at air. Benintendi lined out to short to end the inning.
The Yankees got their first hit when Gardner singled to open the fourth. Obnoxious Yankee fans boasted that this was the big comeback to overtake the game....except Stanton lined out to center and Gregorius grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the fourth although Moreland whiffed. Martinez crushed his 33rd home run of the season to increase the lead before Bogaerts walked to put the pressure on. Nunez hit into a double play to end the inning but it was 3-0 Sox.
There was no stopping Eovaldi in the top of the fifth inning as Hicks popped up to short, Torres lined out to center and Bird grounded out to second to end the inning. Adams returned for one last inning in the bottom of the fifth and cruised. Holt flied out to left, Leon grounded out to short and JBJ grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Yankees got their second hit of the game when Andujar singled to open the top of the sixth. Eovaldi recovered to get Romine to fly out to right. Andujar was erased on the force by Robinson and Gardner popped up to third to end the inning. That's 3 hits in 15 innings for the Yankees. Chad Green took over for the bottom of the sixth and Mr. Mookie whiffed to start. Benintendi grounded out to second and Moreland whiffed to end the inning.
Stanton tried to rally the Yankees in the top of the seventh by leading off with a double but Gregorius popped up to first. Hicks lined out to center and Torres whiffed to end the inning. AJ Cole took over for the Yankees in the bottom of the seventh and the Sox got to him too. Bogaerts whiffed but Nunez and Holt stroked back to back singles. The same umpire that threw out Alex Cora in 2 seconds last night then ruled a ground rule double by Leon was foul. Cora challenged the call and they reversed it, ground rule double for Leon which scored Nunez to increase the lead. JBJ flied out to center to end the inning but it was 4-0 Sox.
Eovaldi came back for the top of the eighth and cruised. Bird flied out to left, Andujar lined out to center and Romine was caught looking to end the inning. Eovaldi had tossed 8 scoreless innings, allowed just 3 hits and struck out 4, he was masterful.
The Sox mustered nothing in the bottom of the eighth as Mr. Mookie whiffed to start. Benintendi whiffed but Moreland walked. Martinez whiffed to end the inning.
A rusty Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel took the mound for the top of the ninth to close it out and nearly crapped his pants big time. He froze pinch hitter Neil Walker for strike three on a bad call that Walker was rightfully upset about. Gardner also froze and barked at the umpire although this was a curve right down the middle. Kimbrel had Stanton down 0-2 then completely fell apart. Stanton doubled to the centerfield wall and Gregorius doubled him home. Hicks walked on 5 pitches and only one was even close. Torres also walked to load the bases and everyone started panicking. All was right in the world as Bird flied out to center to end the game.The Sox had taken the first three games of this set including this one by a score of 4-1.
Hero of the Night is Nathan Eovaldi. He improved to 2-0 for the Sox and hasn't allowed a run yet in 15 innings pitched. He tossed 8 shut-out innings while giving up 3 hits, a walk and struck out 4.
The Good:
Mitch Moreland was 1 for 3 with a walk including a 2 run home run.
Eduardo Nunez was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
Brock Holt was 1 for 3.
Sandy Leon was 1 for 3 with an rbi.
The Bad:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 3 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3.
Craig Kimbrel allowed a run in the top of the ninth.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 but made the hit count as it was a solo home run.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 2 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
The Yankees are in deep trouble and the Sox are just throwing more dirt on them. Nathan Eovaldi has been amazing in his first two starts in Boston but this was the big one. This is the Sox collective chance to bury the Yankees and Eovaldi did his part with 8 shutout innings. The bats were quiet for the most part but they got the pitching they needed, until the end anyway. It was unwise to use Kimbrel in that spot the way Eovaldi was pitching but that's a rookie mistake by Cora. Still, a win is a win and the Yankees are reeling. This game was the most important with Masahiro Tanaka the Sox killer going tomorrow night against David Price (11-6, 3.97 ERA) who can't beat the Yankees. The Sox have absolutely no chance for a sweep with those two elements together so winning tonight was clutch. The win propelled the Sox to 78-34, 8.5 games ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. It should be noted the 2015 Red Sox that rallied under Torey Lovullo finished with 78 wins, the Sox matched it on August 4th. Tomorrow night its Price vs Tanaka at 8:05 PM on that god awful Sunday Night Baseball at Fenway Park.
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