In what former Red Sox broadcaster Ned Martin would have surely labeled a "wild and wooly affair,'' the Red Sox and Yankees slugged 16 runs, and occasionally, each other in a 10-7 Yankee win that snapped the Red Sox' nine-game winning streak.
Starter David Price, who put the Sox in a quick 4-0 hole, left after one inning with an undisclosed hand injury. The Yankee offense didn't let up when Price was gone, managing six runs over the next five innings against a trio of relievers.
When Joe Kelly attempted to retaliate for what the Sox thought was a dirty takeout slide in the third by Tyler Austin, drilling Austin with a pitch in the back in the top of the seventh, Austin charged the mound, Kelly stood his ground and the benches and bullpens cleared. At least three combatants were ejected.
Benches clear, punches thrown in Yankees-Red Sox after Tyler Austin is hit by a pitch from Joe Kelly. pic.twitter.com/wvqoak8QMV
— MLB (@MLB) April 12, 2018
- Blake Swihart got some pre-game work in at second base -- just in case. "We need options (with Xander Bogaerts out of the mix in the middle of the infield),'' said Alex Cora. "We've got to run for people, we might have to hit (for others). It's a different lineup now than it was a few days ago when Xander was there. We have to be prepared if something happens. He worked at second late in spring training, turning double plays. He's athletic enough that, in case we need him, he can make the routine plays and turn double plays.''
- With Andrew Benintendi getting the night off, Cora had Rafael Devers hitting second in the lineup. "He'll get more at-bats there,'' Cora said of the decision. "The way Mookie's getting on base, he'll probably get (fewer) split-finger fastballs. Maybe he'll get a pitch up in the zone and do damage with it. When Andrew's not playing, you'll see Devers in that spot because we can do damage right away (with him).''
- Cora acknowledged that Eduardo Nunez has struggled some defensively -- not just with his range, which is to expected with his knee not yet 100 percent, but also on balls hit directly at him. He's bobbled a few and been handcuffed at times. "He's getting into some bad habits,'' said Cora. "That's something we talked about with Xander, too, the other day. It seems like their pre-pitch (setup) is late. They're not getting where they're supposed to when the ball is going to be hit. So we need to be on top of them. Eduardo, from the get-go, has been telling Carlos (Febles, third base coach and infield instructor) and Ramon (Vazquez), 'Remind me - keep telling me what I have to do,' because, in his own words, he said, 'I get lazy out there.' We don't want that.'' Cora said a few plays in which Nunez struggled in the Miami series were the result of the second base umpire blocking his view on some balls. "There were three balls hit right at the umpire and he didn't see them,'' Cora said. "Two went by and the other one he blocked. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on those ones. But he knows he's getting late and we've got to work on it.''
- Cora said the Red Sox have yet to "take the next step'' when it comes to having closer Craig Kimbrel pitch in innings other than the ninth.
- RHP Hector Velazquez is the likely choice to start Saturday against Baltimore. The choice is down to Velazquez or lefty Brian Johnson, but because the Orioles' have a righty-heavy lineup, Velazquez is the favorite -- unless he's needed for multiple innings Wednesday night.