As they've done most of the season, the Sox struck first in the top of the first. Luis Severino started for the Yankees and Mr. Mookie Betts walked. Dustin Pedroia silenced critics that said he had diminished power by swatting an opposite field home run to give the Sox a 2-0 lead instantly. Xander Bogaerts struck out, David Ortiz grounded out and Hanley Ramirez struck out to end the inning.
Steven Wright began his incredible start by striking out Brett Gardner to begin the game. Starling Castro grounded out but Brian McCann singled. Mark Teixeira grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Severino's fastball was moving in the top of the second. Travis Shaw, Brock "Hitman" Holt and Jackie Bradley Jr all struck out in short order. Carlos Beltran lined out to start the bottom of the second but Dustin Ackley walked. Aaron Hicks banged into a double play to end the inning.
Ryan Hanigan flied out to begin the top of the third. Mr. Mookie popped up and Pedroia whiffed to end the frame. Gregorious grounded out, Headley flied out and Gardner flied out to begin and end the bottom of the third. This game was moving fast.
The Sox struck again in the top of the fourth. Who else but Big Papi? After Bogaerts whiffed, Ortiz smashed a 429 foot bomb to right to give the Sox a 3-0 lead. Ramirez struck out again and Shaw lined out to end the inning.
Wright continued to dominate in the bottom of the fourth. Castro struck out, McCann popped up and Teixeira struck out in short order.
Holt lined out to start the top of the fifth but JBJ singled. Hanigan banged into a double play to end the inning. The Yankees went just as quick in the bottom of the fifth. Beltran flied out, Ackley struck out and Hicks struck out. Wright had thrown 53 pitches through 5 and the talk was could he go the distance?
Severino had made just two mistakes all game and made zero in the top of the sixth. Mr. Mookie popped up, Pedroia grounded out and so did Bogaerts to end the inning. The Yankees went quietly in the bottom of the sixth as Gregorious grounded out, Headley grounded out and Gardner flied out to end the inning. Carson Smith would not be needed.
The Sox iced the game in the top of the seventh. Big Papi crushed his second home run of the night to put the Sox up 4-0. As if the Yankee fans weren't sick of him already, here was something else the dwindling crowd could shout at. Ramirez whiffed for the third time tonight and Shaw grounded out. Holt singled to chase Severino as Chase Shreve was brought in. JBJ got some Tony Clark luck when a well struck ball bounced into the stands for a ground rule double. Sure enough, Hanigan struck out to end the inning.
The Yankees got their only shot at Wright in the bottom of the seventh when Castro doubled to lead off the inning. McCann flied out to right and Castro moved to third.....where he was picked off by the alert Wright. Teixeira cranked one but Wright snared it for the third out. Junichi Tazawa would not be needed.
The Sox added one for good measure in the top of the eighth. Mr. Mookie popped up and Pedroia grounded out, but Bogaerts absolutely crushed a home run to dead center to put the Sox up 5-1. Ortiz grounded out to end the inning.
Wright came back for the bottom of the eighth. Beltran and Ackley flied out to right and Hicks struck out. Koji Uehara would not be needed tonight.
Johnny Barbato came on to pitch the top of the ninth and plunked Ramirez. He was in so much pain that he ran the bases with total reckless abandon. He swiped second and dashed to third when Barbato's throw sailed away. Then he was thrown out at home on the short fly ball by Shaw. Holt flied out to end the inning. Ramirez claimed after the game his wrist was sore. It was up to Wright to finish it off. Gregorious flied out and Headley grounded out, but Gardner ended the shutout with a solo blast to cut the lead 5-1. Ronald Torreyes pinch hit for Castro and struck out to end the game. The Sox had won 5-1 and Wright got the complete game.
We have co-Heroes of the Night. Hero number 1 is David Ortiz. His 2 home runs were all the offense the Sox needed as he passed Carl Yazstremski for second place on the all-time Red Sox home run list.
Hero number 2 is the unlikely new ace of the Red Sox, Steven Wright. Wright pitched a complete game 3 hitter, giving up just the 1 run with 2 outs in the 9th. His ERA lowered to a Pedro-esque 1.52 to earn his 3rd win of the season.
The Good:
Jackie Bradley Jr was 2 for 3
The Bad:
Travis Shaw was 0 for 4 with a strikeout. Ryan Hanigan was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 3 but walked and scored a run. Dustin Pedroia was just 1 for 4 but made the one hit count with a 2 run home run. Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 but made the hit count as it was a home run. Hanley Ramirez was 0 for 3 with a hat trick but was hit with a pitch and stole his 4th base of the season. Brock Holt was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
Who would have thought going into the season that Steven Wright was your ace. Still, with the starting pitching being erratic for the start of this season, Sox fans will take it. The offense was there tonight but more importantly so was the pitching. The big four of the bullpen (Carson Smith, Junichi Tazawa, Koji Uehara and Craig Kimbrel) got another day of rest which is always good during a marathon of a season thanks to Wright's performance. The Sox needed to knock the Yankees around and they've gone 4-2 against them so far (5-1 really, if it wasn't for Ron Kulpa). Aroldis Chapman returns and now the Yankees bullpen can match Boston's. Still, the Sox move on from New York and come home to play a set with the Oakland A's. The win moved the Sox to 18-13 on the season, a half game behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place. Clay Buchholz (1-3, 5.71 ERA) matches up against Oakland ace Sonny Gray (3-3, 4.84 ERA0 tomorrow night at 7:10 PM
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