Remember the four game sweep last August where the Boston Red Sox effectively knocked out the New York Yankees and never looked back until the end of the season? This is starting to get a similar vibe as the Sox for the third day in a row smacked the Yankees all over Fenway Park. After scoring 28 runs in the first two games, the Sox scored another nine total against Yankee pitching. Yesterday it was the Mookie Betts show but today it was Andrew Benintendi and JD Martinez supplying the long balls. Sam Travis broke out of his slump big time with 3 hits and the Sox as a team had 15 hits. Eduardo Rodriguez (13-4, 4.13 ERA) was servicable, tossing 5 2/3 innings of 3 run ball to keep the Sox in front. The Sox sent Yankees ace CC Sabathia to the showers in the fifth inning and won another big game against New York 9-5 at Fenway Park.
Rodriguez got the ball in the top of the first and Aaron Hicks grounded back to the mound to start. Aaron Judge lined out to right but Edwin Encarnacion walked. Luke Voit singled to left but Didi Gregorius lined out to right to end the inning. Sabathia took the mound in the bottom of the first and Mr. Mookie Betts flied out to left to start. Rafael Devers flied out to right and Xander Bogaerts struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Yankees struck first in the top of the second as Gleyber Torres struck out swinging to start. Gio Urshela then bashed a home run all the way to the Pacific Ocean to give the Yankees the lead. Mike Tauchman grounded out to third and Kyle Higashioka struck out swinging to end the inning with the Yankees up 1-0.
The Sox tied it in the bottom of the second although JD Martinez whiffed to begin. Christian Vazquez lined out to center but Andrew Benintendi launched his ninth home run of the season just inside the righ field foul line to tie the game. Sam Travis flied out to center to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Benintendi ties it up
Hicks led off the top of the third with a base hit in the hole to the right to start, but was erased on the Judge double play. Encarnacion grounded out to first to end the inning. Michael Chavis lined one off the Monster but was thrown out at second trying to stretch a double. Sox manager Alex Cora challenged the call but it was upheld. Jackie Bradley Jr lined out to right and Mr. Mookie lined out to left to end the inning.
The Yankees took the lead in the top of the fourth as Voit doubled to left to begin. Gregorius grounded out to short and Torres popped up to short, but Urshela singled home Voit to give the Yankees the lead. Tauchman grounded into a force to end the inning with the Yankees ahead 2-1.
The Sox went up for good in the bottom of the fourth as Devers got a base hit to left to start. Bogaerts flied out to center but Martinez clobbered his 22nd home run of the season to give the Sox the lead back. Vazquez singled to left but Benintendi took strike three. Travis got a base hit to left and Chavis singled home Vazquez. JBJ flied out to left to end the inning but it was 4-2 Sox.
Higashioka grounded back to the mound to start the top of the fifth but Hicks walked. Judge took strike three but Encarnacion doubled to center to score Hicks. Voit struck out swinging to end the inning but it was 4-3 Sox.
Encarnacion drives in a run
The Sox finally knocked out Sabathia in the bottom of the fifth as Mr. Mookie flied out to center to start. Devers hit a ground rule double into the stands and he scored on the Bogaerts double off the Monster. That was it for Sabathia as Chad Green came in to strike out Martinez swinging. Vazquez lined out to right to end the inning with Boston ahead 5-3.
Yeah you're out CC, now beat it!
The Yankees knocked Rodriguez out in the top of the sixth although Gregorius took strike three to start. Torres walked and Urshela singled to right, but Tauchman popped up to short. That was it for Rodriguez who lasted just 5 2/3 innings but held the Yankees to three runs. Matt Barnes came in and struck out Higashioka swinging to end the inning.
The Sox poured it on in the bottom of the sixth as Benintendi doubled to center to start. Travis singled to right to move Benintendi to third and Brock "The Hitman" Holt pinch hit for Chavis. Holt scored Benintendi with a sac fly and Travis stole second. JBJ tripled into the left field corner and he scored on the Mr. Mookie sac fly. Devers doubled to center but Bogaerts took strike three to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-3.
Barnes returned for the top of the seventh and Hicks whiffed to start. Judge also went down swinging but Encarnacion doubled to left. Voit struck out swinging to end the inning. The relentless Sox scored in the bottom of the seventh as Martinez lined out to center to start. Vazquez grounded out to first but Benintendi doubled to left. Nestor Cortes Jr came in to pitch and Travis singled home Benintendi to increase the lead. Holt drew a walk but JBJ whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-3.
Nathan Eovaldi got tagged in the top of the eighth although Gregorius popped up to third to start. Torres singled to right and Urshela doubled to left but Tauchman struck out swinging. Higashioka singled home Torres and Urshela to cut the lead, but Hicks took strike three to end the inning with the Yankees down 9-5.
Tommy Kahnle came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Mr. Mookie grounded out to short to start. Devers struck out swinging and Bogaerts grounded out to third to end the inning.
Brandon Workman came in to close out the top of the ninth and Judge grounded out to second to start. Encarnacion took strike three and Voit watched strike three go by to end the game. The Sox had won it 9-5.
Hero of the Night is JD Martinez. He hit the go-ahead home run to put the Sox up for good in the fourth inning.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
Andrew Benintendi was 3 for 4 with a home run.
Sam Travis was 3 for 4 with an rbi, stolen base and a run scored.
Michael Chavis was 2 for 2 with an rbi.
Brock Holt walked and drove in a run as a pinch hitter.
Eduardo Rodriguez got the win with 5 1/3 innings of 3 run ball. He allowed 7 hits while striking out 5.
Matt Barnes tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Brandon Workman tossed a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Nathan Eovaldi allowed 2 runs in the top of the eighth.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 but drove in a run.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts but drove in a run.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and scored once.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox needed to make a statement to get back in the AL East race and they're doing it so far. They've won 5 out of 6 games to give a sliver of hope for the Red Sox fans. While all this offense is good, the only thing to complain about is the pitching hasn't been great, especially out of the bullpen. Still, Rodriguez won again and he seems to be on pace for 17 or 18 wins if things keep going. The offense looks to be right where it was last year and that should carry them to the end of the season. Sox GM Dave Dombrowski has 4 days left to get another pitcher to bolster either the rotation or bullpen since you never know when someone might get hurt. In 2016 they got Brad Ziegler and in 2017 they got Addison Reed, this time around they need a starter especially if somebody gets hurt. As bad as the Sox played for most of the season, the fact they're one piece away from turning it all around shows there's still a chance. The Sox smacked around the Yankees for 38 runs in this series so far and hopefully it can continue tomorrow in a desperately needed sweep. The win improved the Sox to 59-47, 8 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox will have to earn it as the 12-2 Domingo German takes on Sox ace Chris Sale (5-9) at 7:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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