It wasn't pretty but the Boston Red Sox got their first win of the season against their rivals the New York Yankees. Sox starter Tanner Houck was knocked out in the fourth inning but the Sox bullpen stepped up in this one. The Sox took an early 2-0 lead with a first inning rally but the Yankees got a run off Houck in the third. A Jonathan Arauz sac fly made it 3-1 but after Houck put the first two runners on in the fourth, Ryan Brasier allowed a 2 run single to Anthony Rizzo to tie the game. Kutter Crawford (1-1, 0.00 ERA) picked up his first career win as the bullpen shut out the Yankees the rest of the way. Bobby Dalbec broke the deadlock with a solo home run and Jake Diekman blew away the Yankees in the bottom of the ninth. It all added up to a series salvaging 4-3 win at Yankee Stadium.
Montgomery got a scare in the bottom of the first inning as Kike Hernandez struck out swinging to start. Rafael Devers blooped a base hit to center and Xander Bogaerts hit a line drive off the ankle of Montgomery who went down in a heap. After a while Montgomery walked it off but JD Martinez doubled to left to score Devers to put the Sox on top. Bobby Dalbec was hit with a pitch to load the bases and Christian Arroyo hit a sac fly to right to score Bogaerts but Alex Verdugo grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
Tanner Houck had to work in the bottom of the first inning as Josh Donaldson took strike three to start. Anthony Rizzo walked and Aaron Judge singled him to third, but Giancarlo Stanton hit a bullet to Jonathan Arauz at second. Judge swiped second but Joey Gallo walked on a questionable call to load the bases. Houck got Gleyber Torres to fly out to left to end the inning but Tanner had thrown 30 pitches.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the second as Kevin Plawecki struck out swinging to start. Arauz lined out to center but Hernandez drew a walk. Devers grounded out into the shift to end the inning. Aaron Hicks effortlessly lined a base hit to left to start the bottom of the second. Isiah Kiner beat out a double play ball to Houck and Jose Trevino popped up to right, but a wild pitch moved Hicks to second. Donaldson took a questionable strike three to end the inning.
Montgomery dominated the top of the third as Bogaerts popped up to second to start. Martinez flied out to right and Dalbec took strike three to end the inning. The Yankees struck back in the bottom of the third as Rizzo walked on 4 pitches not even close to begin. Arroyo failed to catch a pop up by Judge for a "single" and Stanton ripped a base hit to left to score Rizzo. Gallo hit an absolute rocket but right to Arroyo before Torres was hit with a pitch to load the bases but Hicks banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox still leading 2-1.
The Sox fought back in the top of the fourth as Arroyo swung and missed at strike three but the ball got away to allow Christian to reach first. Verdugo hit a seeing eye single to right and both runners advanced on the swinging bunt by Plawecki. That was it for Montgomery as Clarke Schmidt came in to pitch to Arauz and he hit a sac fly to right to score Arroyo to increase the lead. Hernandez watched strike three go by to end the inning with the Sox up 3-1.
The Yankees finished off Houck in the bottom of the fourth as Kiner doubled to center to start. Trevino dropped a base hit in front of Hernandez but somehow Donaldson was called out on strike three. That was it for Houck who struggled just to get 13 ours and would be charged with 3 runs. Ryan Brasier came in and naturally uncorked a wild pitch to move the runners over before Rizzo cleared the bases with a base hit to center to tie the game. Judge banged into a double play to end the inning but the game was tied 3-3.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the fifth as Devers grounded out to first to start. Bogaerts grounded out to short and Martinez flied out to right to end the inning. Kutter Crawford came in for the bottom of the fifth and naturally Stanton singled up the middle to start. Gallo flied out to center but Torres doubled off the right feel wall. Hicks popped up to Devers in foul territory to a chorus of boos and 1st base umpire Chad Fairchild rung up Kiner on a check swing to end the inning.
The Sox somehow struck back in the top of the sixth as Dalbec launched his first home run of the season to put Boston back on top. Arroyo grounded out to third, Verdugo grounded out to short and Plawecki grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox up 4-3.
Trevino grounded out to short to start the bottom of the sixth but Donaldson singled to left. Somehow Rizzo and Judge both struck out swinging to end the inning.
Lucas Luetge came in for the top of the seventh and Arauz popped up to Donaldson to start. Hernandez flied out to left and Devers whiffed badly to end the inning. Stanton ripped another base hit to center to begin the bottom of the seventh and to chase Crawford. Matt Strahm came in to get Gallo to fly out to left before Arroyo made a sliding catch to rob Torres of a hit. Hicks grounded out to short to end the inning.
Jonathan Loaisiga came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Bogaerts walked to start. Martinez looked to have beat out a double play ball but Sox manager Alex Cora fell asleep and didn't challenge the call. Dalbec walked and Arroyo grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Hansel Robles came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Jackie Bradley Jr taking over in right with Arroyo moving to second. Naturally Robles walked Kiner to start and DJ LeMahieu pinch hit for Trevino. LeMahieu flied out to a running JBJ and Donaldson hit a bullet...right to Verdugo for the out. Sox pitching coach Dave Bush sprinted to the mound to remind everyone that reruns of 21 Jump Street were on in the clubhouse and Robles was so excited he got Rizzo to pop up to Dalbec to end the inning.
Wandy Peralta came in for the top of the ninth with Kyle Higashioka behind the plate and LeMahieu at first. Verdugo walked after missing a home run by 5 feet but Plawecki struck out swinging. JBJ watched strike three go by and Hernandez flied out to center to end the inning. The Yankees bullpen had allowed just 3 runs in 18 2/3 innings in this series. Jake Diekman came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and he blew away Judge to start. Somehow Diekman blew away Stanton and Gallo to end the game. The Sox had won it 4-3.
Hero of the Night is Bobby Dalbec. His home run was the difference in the game.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Alex Verdugo was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Kutter Crawford got his first ML win with 2 scoreless innings.
Matt Strahm tossed a scoreless inning.
Hansel Robles pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Jake Diekman earned his first save of the year by striking out the side in the ninth,
The Bad:
Kevin Plawecki was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Jackie Bradley Jr struck out in his only at-bat.
Tanner Houck got knocked out in the fourth inning after allowing 3 runs in 3 1/3 innings.
The Ugly:
Kike Hernandez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Christian Arroyo was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but drove in a run and scored a run.
Jonathan Arauz was 0 for 2 bur drove in a run.
Ryan Brasier allowed the game tying single by Rizzo but allowed no runs of his own.
Final Thoughts:
Its always great to beat the Yankees but this is one of those cases where the Yankees beat themselves. They left a ton of men on base and Aaron Hicks was completely useless. Still, the same could be said for the Red Sox offense who had just 5 hits in the game. Still, a win is a win whether its 5 hits or 25 and the pitching stepped up big after Brasier allowed the two run single to Rizzo. The Yankees have flaws but they have a tough lineup and the Sox bullpen shut them down after the fourth inning. The only question is where is Matt Barnes? If Cora has lost faith in him as a closer then why is he on the team? There's plenty of pitchers in Worcester or on the street that can sit and take up space. The only real positive to take from this game is that they won. They only had 5 hits and their starter was out in the fourth inning, that can't continue. The Sox are back in action tomorrow night in Detroit. Michael Wacha makes his Red Sox debut going up against Matt Manning of the Tigers. The game begins at 5:10 PM Eastern time at Comerica Park.
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