Yankees Come Back in Game 2 (8/3/19)

What happened to the Boston Red Sox? With their season on the line at the end of July, the Sox won 5 out of 7 games against the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays. Then after the Sox were abandoned at the trade deadline by Sox GM Dave Dombrowski, they've lost 7 straight games including both games of today's doubleheader. After Chris Sale got knocked around in Game 1, it was a battle of the bullpens today which naturally the Yankees won. Brian Johnson got the "start" for the Sox and lasted just 3 inning and allowed 3 runs. The Sox took a 4-3 lead on the Yankees but they rallied against Josh Taylor and Matt Barnes. A recurring theme of the Sox failing to come back after 7 innings came true as they didn't. The Sox lost their seventh straight game including this one 6-4 at Yankee Stadium.

Chad Green "started" the game for the Yankees and cruised in the top of the first inning. Mr. Mookie Betts struck out swinging to start and Rafael Devers also went down hacking. Xander Bogaerts popped up to third to end the inning. Johnson got the ball in the bottom of the first and DJ LeMahieu lined out to right to start. Aaron Judge singled to center but Gleyber Torres flied out to center. Aaron Hicks singled to left but Gio Urshela grounded into a force to end the inning.

JD Martinez walked to start the top of the second and that was it for Green. Nestor Cortes Jr came in and Andrew Benintendi struck out swinging. Sam Travis forced Martinez at second but Christian Vazquez singled to left. Michael Chavis flied out to left to end the inning. Johnson got in trouble in the bottom of the second as Cameron Maybin struck out swinging to start. Mike Tauchman singled to left then stole second. Austin Romine flied out to right but Breyvic Valera singled off the glove of Marco Hernandez to put runners at the corners. LeMahieu lined out to right to end the inning.

The Sox struck first in the top of the third as Hernandez doubled off the glove of LeMahieu into right to start. Mr. Mookie lined out to left but Devers smoked his 22nd home run of the season 433 feet to put Boston on top. Bogaerts flied out to left but Martinez walked. Benintendi struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.

                                                             Devers hits one out

The Yankees wasted no time taking command in the bottom of the third although Judge struck out swinging to start. Torres hit a home run all the way to Afghanistan to cute the lead and Hicks got a base hit to center. Urshela singled to center and Maybin doubled home both runners to give the Yankees the lead. Mike Tauchman hit a bullet to Benintendi who fired to second to double off Maybin to end the inning with the Yankees ahead 3-2. That was it for Johnson who left trailing after allowing 3 runs in 3 innings.

                                                    Johnson watches the lead slip away

The Sox did manage to fight back against Chance Adams in the top of the fourth as Travis walked to start. Vazquez doubled him to third but Chavis flied out to center. Hernandez struck out swinging but Mr. Mookie dropped a base hit to left to score both runners and give Boston the lead back. Devers grounded back to the mound to end the inning but it was 4-3 Sox.

                                                   Betts drives in a pair

Marcus Walden came in to pitch the bottom of the fourth and Romine grounded out to short to start. Valera walked but LeMahieu lined out to right. Judge struck out swinging to end the inning.

Bogaerts lined out to center to start the top of the fifth but Martinez singled to center. Benintendi hit a bullet to LeMahieu who doubled off Martinez to end the inning. Josh Taylor came in to pitch the bottom of the fifth and Torres hit a home run to Pakistan to tie the game. Hicks and Urshela both struck out swinging but Maybin walked. Tauchman grounded out to second to end the inning but it was tied 4-4.

                                                 Torres ties it up

Adam Ottavino came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Travis tried to start a rally with a base hit to left. Travis stole second but Vazquez flied out to center. Brock "The Hitman" Holt pinch hit for Chavis but struck out swinging. Hernandez walked but Mr. Mookie flied out to center to end the inning. Romine lined out to left to start the bottom of the sixth but Valera struck out swinging. LeMahieu singled to left and that was it for Taylor. Matt Barnes came in and got Judge to ground out to short to end the inning/

Tommy Kahnle came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Devers grounded back to the mound to start. Bogaerts grounded out to short but Martinez walked. Benintendi earned a hat trick by striking out swinging to end the inning. The Yankees struck in the bottom of the seventh as who else but Torres doubled to right to start. Hicks and Urshela drew back to back walks but somehow Barnes struck out Maybin swinging. Tauchman hit the killshot with a base hit to left to score Torres and Hicks to put the Yankees up for good. Romine walked to chase the incompetent Barnes. Colten Brewer came in and Valera forced Urshela at home with a grounder to first and LeMahieu flied out to center to end the inning with the Yankees ahead 6-4.

                                                    Yankees take the lead

The Sox blew their last chance to rally against Zack Britton in the top of the eighth as Travis grounded out to short to start. Vazquez singled to right and Holt walked, but Hernandez forced Holt at second to put runners at the corners. Mr. Mookie walked to load the bases...but Devers struck out swinging to end the inning. Sox closer Brandon Workman came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Judge singled to center to start. Torres banged into a double play and Brett Gardner pinch hit for Hicks. Gardner lined out to short to end the inning.

Aroldis Chapman came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Bogaerts flied out to right to start. Martinez walked to bring the tying run to the plate but Benintendi struck out swinging to earn the golden sombrero. Travis whiffed badly to end the game. The Yankees had swept the doubleheader with a 6-4 win.

                                                 Yankees win

Jackass of the Night is Matt Barnes. He took the loss by allowing the 2 runs in the seventh inning.

                                                  Barnes gives up the game

The Good:

JD Martinez walked 4 times and got a hit.

Christian Vazquez was 3 for 4 with a run scored.

Marco Hernandez was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Marcus Walden pitched a scoreless fourth inning.

Colten Brewer got the final two outs of the seventh inning.

Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

The Bad:

Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 5.

Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 5 with a golden sombrero of 4 strikeouts.

Michael Chavis was 0 for 2.

Brian Johnson allowed 3 runs in 3 innings.

Josh Taylor allowed a run in 1 2/3 innings.

The Ugly:

Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and drove in 2 runs.

Rafael Devers was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts but hit a 2 run home run.

Sam Travis was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.

Brock Holt struck out as a pinch hitter but later walked.

Final Thoughts:

What's left to say at this point? The Yankees are hungrier, deeper and better than the Red Sox. Guys like Valera, Cameron Maybin and Tauchman are getting big hits while Travis, Hernandez and Holt aren't. The Yankees bullpen shut down the Sox after the fourth inning while Taylor and Barnes coughed up the lead. Sox GM Dave Dombrowski essentially cost the Red Sox the division and possibly the playoffs completely by doing nothing at the trade deadline. If the Sox continue their slide out of contention, he better be on the unemployment line by the end of the season. I know its blasphemous to talk about firig the GM the year after he helps win a ring but this is ridiculous. The Yankees are burying them just like last August in reverse. The Yankees threw a bullpen game and still beat the Sox, can't get much more embarrassing than that. The loss drops the Sox to 59-54, 13.5 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox have one chance to avoid a sweep and save face but only if David Price can conquer his Yankee Stadium demon tomorrow night. JA Happ goes for the Yankees on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball tomorrow night at 8:10 PM at Yankee Stadium.