NEW YORK – Back on July 15, Matt Holliday spoiled a shutout bid by the Red Sox with a game-tying ninth-inning homer in a game the Yankees went on to win in 16 innings.
On Saturday, he struck again with another homer.
Holliday cranked a three-run shot to left off Drew Pomeranz, snapping a 1-1 tie and helping to send the Yankees to a 5-1 victory over the Sox. With the win, the Yanks moved back to within 4.5 games of the Sox in the East.
Pomeranz walked Didi Gregorius to start the inning then gave up a single to Chase Headey – who had homered off Pomeranz in the second for the first run of the game. Pomeranz missed with a 92 mph four-seam fastball over the heart of the plate and Holliday deposited it into the seats.
The loss was the first for Pomeranz since June 11, some 16 starts ago.
Masahiro Tanaka held the Sox to just one run on five hits in seven-plus innings. The lone Red Sox run came in the sixth when Eduardo Nunez doubled, took third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch.
The Red Sox had only two baserunners in scoring position other than Nunez and were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.
GAME NO.: 136
WHO: Red Sox (77-58) vs New York Yankees (71-63)
WHEN: 1:05 p.m.
WHERE: Yankee Stadium
TV: NESN/MLB Network
RADIO: WEEI (93.7 FM)
PITCHERS: Drew Pomeranz (14-4, 3.23) vs. Masahiro Tanaka (10-10, 4.69)
BOX SCORE: MLB Gameday
PRE-GAME NOTES:
- Dustin Pedroia was given Saturday off as the Red Sox ease him back into the lineup after his second DL stint for knee inflammation. "There was no residual (issue),'' said John Farrell. "There was no swelling, no ache. He came out of (Friday) night in good shape. After seven innings of work, he's got a smile on his face that he hasn't had in a long time. We'll build him up to nine innings and monitor him from there.'' With Pedroia resting, the Sox had Tzu-Wei Lin at second base.
- Brock Holt, who was hit in the foot by a pitch Thursday night and played left field Friday, was out of the lineup today. The initial plan called for Holt to play second today, but he didn't believe he had the necessary first-step quickness to play the position. Farrell said Holt was available off the bench.
- Carson Smith will make his final rehab appearance for Pawtucket Sunday, then likely be activated Monday by the Sox when they return home. "The sink, the action to the slider, have been consistent with what we saw pre-surgery,'' Farrell said. "The velocity hasn't come back, but that was totally expected on our part. We won't see that until he goes through a full off-season and gets back into spring training. We'll see what kind of role he settles into for us. He feels good physically.''
- David Price will throw his next bullpen Monday, at which time he will incorporate breaking pitches.