The Yankees (46-44 overall, 23-23 home) were already a disaster this season and now they are suffering a Covid-19 outbreak (still?) that caused last night's Red Sox (56-36 overall, 28-17 away)-Yanks game to be postponed. Tonight (along with the rest of MLB), the series and second half began with New York putting five players-left-handed pitchers Nestor Cortes and Wandy Peralta, along with outfielder Aaron Judge, catcher Kyle Higashioka and infielder Gio Urshela-on the Covid-19 injured list. Not surprisingly, with a lineup that was better suited for a Spring Training game in mid-March, the Yanks did not stand much of a chance as Boston shut them out 4-0 this evening at Yankee Stadium. By recording their first shutout in the Bronx in a little over three years, the Sox extended their perfect start (7-0) against their bitter rivals in 2021.
The teams combined for eight hits so it was not exactly an offensive explosion but Boston at least made theirs count with a two-run homer and a solo shot. Red Sox starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (7-5) wasn't his sharpest (40 of his 97 pitches were balls) but it was plenty good enough against such a weak starting nine. In 5.2 innings, E-Rod allowed just two hits with eight strikeouts and two walks. It only took two Sox relievers to complete the job from there: Hirokazu Sawamura induced a ground out (on three pitches) from Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez to end the sixth inning and strand a runner at second base. Tanner Houck has spent most of the season with the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox (lucky him!) but he was recalled to Boston yesterday and he closed it out with three scoreless innings including three strikeouts for his first career MLB save.
Boston got all the runs they needed in the second inning as shortstop Xander Bogaerts scored on a ground out by right fielder Hunter Renfroe and second baseman Christian Arroyo crushed a two-run bomb to right center (his sixth of the season) that scored third baseman Rafael Devers. Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez added an insurance run with a solo homer to right in the eighth inning that made it 4-0 on his 19th home run of the season. Yankees starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery (3-5) was decent enough (6 IP, 3 ER, 3 hits, 4 Ks, 2 BBs) but he basically would have had to no-hit the Red Sox to steal a win for his overmatched club in the series opener.
With the victory, Boston held serve for a 1.5 game lead over second-place Tampa Bay (54-37) in the AL East while New York dropped to fourth-place behind Toronto (46-42). Even though the Yanks are a complete mess, they still undeservedly get the primetime spotlight the next two nights: Nathan Eovaldi (9-5) faces fellow All-Star Gerrit Cole (9-4) tomorrow (7:15, Fox) and Martin Perez (7-5) takes on Jameson Taillon (4-4) on Sunday (7:08, ESPN). There is no chance that the Yanks will make some miraculous comeback and push the Red Sox and Rays for the AL East crown this fall. Hell, I'd be shocked if they sniffed the neighborhood of the Wild Card spots. New York is hopeless but that is not our problem so we can only laugh at their misery as Boston continues to bury them in 2021. PS one of Boston's top prospects-outfielder Jarren Duran-was called up as well and since he's a lefty hitter, I bet that he makes his MLB debut vs. Cole.
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