Rookies Benintendi, Devers carry Sox to series win over Yanks

NEW YORK — This is all new to Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers. They don’t know much – if anything – about Carlton  Fisk vs. Thurman Munson, or Don Zimmer bull-rushing Pedro Martinez, or Jason Varitek's face-wash of Alex Rodriguez.

Don't know, and don't care.

Aaron Boone? He’s the guy in the broadcast booth. Bucky Dent? Who’s he?

But very early in their careers with the Red Sox, they seem to be getting the hang of this Red Sox-Yankee rivalry.

On Sunday night, in what could be labeled the most entertaining game of the season and perhaps the Red Sox’ biggest win, too, they were instrumental in the Red Sox’ 3-2, 10-inning victory.

First, Devers saved the Sox with an improbable opposite-field homer off New York closer Aroldis Chapman. Then, an inning later, Benintendi won it with a sharp, bases-loaded single to right, scoring Jackie Bradley Jr. with the winning run.

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Maybe they’re too young to know any better. Maybe the rivalry doesn’t mean much to them.

Whatever the explanation for their performances, the Red Sox were happy to have them. Without them, it would have been a lost weekend for the Sox.

On Saturday, Benintendi almost singlehandedly beat up the Yankees with two homers and six RBI in a 10-5 rout. Then Sunday night, the two combined to help the Sox take the rubber game of the series, allowing them to leave town with a bigger lead (5.5 games) than the one they brought to town Friday (4.5 games).

Devers, who was out of the starting lineup but entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the sixth, had never before faced anyone throwing the ball as hard as Chapman. But he took a triple-digit fastball and sent it into the Red Sox bullpen.

It was 103 mph coming in, and 106 mph going out. Advantage, Devers.

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“He doesn’t fear the moment,’’ said John Farrell. “He’s jumped feet-first into this rivalry and it couldn’t come at a better time.’’

It was the first home run Chapman allowed to a lefthanded hitter since 2011.

“He’s just like any other pitcher,’’ said Devers. “Obviously, he’s an All-Star. I didn’t know the stat, but I just go about every at-bat the same.’’

Until Friday, Devers had never so much as step foot in New York. But this was no ordinary, wide-eyed tourist visiting the big city for the first time.

“There’s a presence in the moment,’’ said Farrell. “There’s a calmness in the moment and he doesn’t seem to be fazed by the stage.’’

“You can’t help but smile,’’ said starter Chris Sale, who was in the training room when Devers connected. “Talk about a moment in a game for a guy like him, a rookie. It’s huge. That’s why you love him. That’s why he’s here. These are things we almost kind of expect out of him.’’

Then there was Benintendi, who got a brief introduction to The Rivalry last September, before consuming an adult portion this year.

He homered and added a sacrifice fly Friday. He hit two more homers Saturday and knocked in six. And Sunday, he was responsible for the game-winning RBI.

In three games, he had nine RBI.

“In the three games, he’s been right man, right spot,’’ said Farrell.

Benintendi came to the plate with the bases loaded in the top of the 10^th and one out. He passed on a couple of tough changeups from Tommy Kahnle before driving another one on a line to right.

“I was able to stay through it and it fell in,’’ recounted Benintendi. “It was up in the zone and I was able to stay short (with my swing). To help the team win, it feels pretty good.’’

Benintendi almost sounded bemused by the attention and he and his fellow rookie received.

“I don’t know,’’ he shrugged. “To us, it’s just another series.’’

But it was much more than that, of course. It wiped out any talk that the Yankees had successfully planted themselves in the Red Sox’ collective heads. And it ripped a few more days off the regular season calendar, with the lead in the division increasing.

“It is big,’’ concluded Farrell. “We’ve had our troubles against New York. Through the first 10, we were only 3-7 and to win a couple here, after dropping a tough game Friday night, it says a lot about our guys and it says a lot about our resolve.’’

And, a lot about their rookies, too.