NEW YORK -- All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 9-0 win over the Yankees, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Devers has himself a night: The Red Sox' third baseman got things going in the first inning with an opposite-field grand slam, but he was far from done. He added singles in the third and fifth, then just missed a second homer in the seventh by inches before collecting his third single in the ninth inning. Add it up and Devers went 5-for-5 with three runs scored and four RBI. "He's made some adjustments,'' said Alex Cora. "He's staying on pitches now, he's driving the ball deep the other way ... Sometimes, we take him for granted because of what he did last year, but he's still a kid.'' On nights like these, he looks like a seasoned veteran, going with pitches, making adjustments from one at-bat to another, and rapping out hits at a record pace. Case in point: the first-inning grand slam came on a 1-and-2 pitch that Devers seemed to swat with ease, sending the ball into the first few rows of the left field bleachers.
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Starting pitching rules: On Friday night, Eduardo Rodriguez threw something of a stinker, getting rapped for five runs in six innings, including two homers. But that atypical of what the rotation has done of late, especially away from Fenway. In the last 12 road games, Red Sox starters have allowed two runs or fewer in none of those games. Also, Sox starters have stayed in games: Saturday night marked the 10th straight outing in which Red Sox starting pitchers have pitched at least six innings, reducing the workload on the bullpen. Chris Sale took things to another level Saturday, allowing just one hit -- a first-inning single -- while showing great finish at the end. He threw a 100 mph fastball in his final inning for his second straight start and retired the final 16 hitters he faced in a row.
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Bradley turns in his semi-regular miraculous catch: In the third inning, Aaron Hicks led off by sending a long fly ball to straightaway center. Bradley tracked it down and timing his jump perfectly, leaped to make an incredible grab. Many in the ballpark didn't seem to know whether he made the catch or not, and Bradley -- intentionally or not -- seemed to milk the moment, standing motionless with the ball in his glove for a few seconds before extracting it and firing it back into the infield. "I keep talking to (media) and whenever they ask me about Jackie, I say: 'You tell me if he's an elite center fielder' because sometimes I look at the numbers and it doesn't reflect that, with defensive runs saved or whatever," Cora said. "But he's elite; he's one of the best defensive outfielders in the majors.''
TURNING POINT
It's not often that a game's turning point takes place in the first inning, but the grand slam by Rafael Devers in the first gave the Red Sox a 4-0 lead six batters in, and while that wasn't necessarily insurmountable considering the Yankees' offense, it sure seemed that way with Chris Sale on the mound.
TWO UP
J.D. Martinez: Martinez didn't collect an extra-base hit in five plate appearances, but he still managed three hits -- including an infield hit that extended the first inning -- and knocked in three runs.
Mookie Betts: Betts did what leadoff hitters do by reaching base in four of his five plate appearances, scoring two runs in the process to add to his team lead (64) in that category
ONE DOWN
Eduardo Nunez: After a string of better at-bats recently for the veteran infielder, Saturday night felt like a step backward as he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, including one that included what may have been the worst swing by a Red Sox player this season.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"He looks like the big pitcher in the big leagues right now.''
— Alex Cora on Chris Sale.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The shutout was the first for the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium since May 14, 2011.
- The Red Sox got two more stolen bases and their top three base-stealers (Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi and Jackie Bradley Jr.) are now a combined 39-for-42 in stolen base attempts.
- The Sox are 35-5 in games in which they have multiple homers.
- Sandy Leon has driven in at least one run in each of his last five games.
- Over the last two road trips, Red Sox starters have allowed two runs or fewer nine times in 12 games.
- The two hits allowed by the Red Sox were the fewest in a road game since last Aug. 22 at Cleveland.