Eovaldi got the ball in the top of the first inning and old Sox prospect Anthony Rizzo grounded out to first to start. Aaron Judge flied out to right but Giancarlo Stanton singled to left. Joey Gallo struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time getting to Cole in the bottom of the first inning although Kyle Schwarber flied out to center to start. Kike Hernandez popped up to second but Rafael Devers walked. Bogaerts then smashed a home run to put the Sox up four batters into the game. Alex Verdugo popped up to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
Bogaerts jacks up the crowd
Gleyber Torres lined out to right to begin the top of the second inning before Brett Gardner struck out swinging. Gio Urshela reached on a swinging bunt in front of the plate but Kyle Higashioka struck out swinging to end the inning. Hunter Renfroe went down hacking to begin the bottom of the second but Kevin Plawecki doubled to center. Bobby Dalbec took strike three before Christian Arroyo struck out swinging to end the inning.
Eovaldi cruised in the top of the third inning as Andrew Velazquez flied out to left to start. Rizzo struck out swinging and Judge flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox knocked Cole out in the bottom of the third as Schwarber crushed a home run to increase the lead and Hernandez singled off of Cole. Devers walked and Yankees manager Aaron Boone pulled the plug on Cole before it could get any worse. Shades of 2003 in Game 7, Clay Holmes came in to get Bogaerts swinging and Verdugo to bang into a double play to end the inning. Still, the Sox led 3-0 and Cole was gone.
Trade deadline pickup gets it done
Eovaldi kept up the pace in the top of the fourth as Stanton went down hacking to start. Gallo flied out to center and Torres also flied out to center to end the inning. Renfroe ripped a base hit to center to start the bottom of the fourth but Plawecki hit into a double play. Dalbec flied out to right to end the inning.
Gardner struck out swinging to begin the top of the fifth before Urshela lined out to left. Higashioka went down hacking to end the inning. Luis Severino came in to pitch the bottom of the fifth and Arroyo grounded out to second to start. Schwarber grounded out to first and Hernandez flied out to right to end the inning.
Dr. Quick Hook Alex Cora reared his head in the top of the sixth although Rougned Odor pinch hit for Velazquez only to strike out swinging. Rizzo hit a home run all the way to Nebraska and Judge singled to short. Cora practically sprinted to the mound to get Eovaldi out at the first sign of trouble which seemed like a mistake since he had been dominant to this point. He had gone 5 1/3 innings and held the Yankees to just 3 hits and a run.
Still, Eovaldi was out and Ryan Brasier was in. Stanton pounded a ball high off the Monster that would have been gone in Yankee Stadium and Judge foolishly tried to score from first. Judge was thrown out by several feet and Gallo popped up to third to end the inning with the Sox still ahead 3-1.
The Sox managed to get the run back in the bottom of the sixth although Devers struck out swinging to start. Bogaerts walked and came all the way around to score on the rbi double to right by Verdugo. Jonathan Loaisiga replaced Severino and Renfroe walked. Travis Shaw pinch hit for Plawecki and struck out swinging before Dalbec also went down hacking to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-1.
Tanner Houck came in for the top of the seventh inning with Christian Vazquez taking over behind the plate. Torres lined out to center, Gardner struck out swinging and Urshela went down hacking to end the inning. The Sox iced the game in the bottom of the seventh as Arroyo grounded out to third to start. Schwarber and Hernandez drew back to back walks to chase Loaisiga. Chad Green got Devers to line out to center but Bogaerts walked to load the bases. Verdugo ripped a base hit to center to score both Schwarber and Hernandez but was thrown out at second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-1.
Hansel Robles came in to pitch the top of the eighth with Gary Sanchez pinch hitting for Higashioka. Sanchez lined out to center, Odor flied out to left and Rizzo struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox were just three outs from the ALDS thanks to another deadline pickup (Robles). Renfroe took strike three to start the bottom of the eighth and Vazquez went down swinging. Dalbec grounded out to third to end the inning.
Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock was brought in to close out the top of the ninth and Judge grounded out to short to start. Stanton had one last moment in the sun with a home run to Neptune but Gallo flied out to right. Torres also flied out to right to end the game. The Sox had beaten the Yankees and moved on to the ALDS with a 6-2 victory.
Hero of the Night is Nathan Eovaldi. He held the high powered Yankees to just 1 run in 5 1/3 innings to keep them in check. He struck out 8 and allowed just 4 hits.
Hero Eovaldi
The Good:
Kyle Schwarber was 1 for 3 with a walk including a home run and two runs scored.
Kike Hernandez was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Rafael Devers walked twice in four plate appearances and scored a run.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 2 with 2 walks, a 2 run home run and 2 total runs soced.
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 4 with 3 rbis.
Hunter Renfroe was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Kevin Plawecki was 1 for 2.
Ryan Brasier got the final two outs of the sixth inning.
Tanner Houck tossed a scoreless seventh inning.
Hansel Robles pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Travis Shaw struck out as a pinch hitter.
Christian Vazquez struck out in his only at bat.
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Christian Arroyo was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Garrett Whitlock allowed a home run in the ninth inning.
The Ugly:
None
Final Thoughts:
Na na na na, NA NA NA NA, OH HELL YEAH....GOODBYEEEEEEE! For the second time in four years the Red Sox sent the Yankees and their arrogant fans to a winter with no championship. This was sweet revenge for the last two years where the Sox fell from grace and imploded. Going into the season Yankee fans were gladhanding each other saying the Tampa Bay Rays were done without Blake Snell and the Red Sox were terrible. Turns out the Rays weren't done and the Sox beat the Yankees in the season series plus the game that counted the most. Eovaldi dominated the Yankees like he did in Game 3 in 2018 and the bullpen (apart from one hiccup) kept the Yankees in check. The mid-season pickups of Schwarber and Robles played a big factor in tonight's win and hopefully they can keep this momentum as the Sox move on. Many felt the Sox didn't deserve to be here after they went 30-31 beginning in late July but they still won 92 games and a chance to play this game. Boston took that chance and won the game to face the Rays this coming Thursday night. Apart from Stanton and Rizzo, the Yankees looked completely lifeless and the play of the game when Stanton's ball was still rising when it hit the Monster, getting Judge thrown out at the plate. Cora looked foolish taking Eovaldi out and Stanton's blast could have gone a lot worse. Can't even blame Whitlock too much because nobody could get Stanton out. Now that the Yankees and the regular season are in the rearview mirror, NOW Cora can do his mix and match fly by the seat of his pants managing that won him a ring in 2018. Pulling guys early, using starters as a relievers, anything goes from here on. He's gonna need every ounce of magic he has because it doesn't look like Chris Sale or Eduardo Rodriguez are anywhere close to the dominant starters they used to be. Still, Eduardo better be on his game because he's starting Game 1 this Thursday night against the 100 win Rays. The Rays will counter with Shane McClanahan as Game 1 begins at 8:05 PM at Tropicana Field.
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