After first-inning fireworks, the Red Sox and Yankees settled down and Rick Porcello pitched an absolute gem -- a complete-game one-hitter in which he threw just 86 pitches to lead the Sox to a 4-1 victory.
Steve Pearce provided all the offense necessary with a two-run homer in the first, his fourth of the series. Eduardo Nunez and Mitch Moreland provided run-scoring singles to round out the scoring.
The only blemish against Porcello was a solo homer by Miguel Andujar to open the third. He retired the final 21 hitters he faced.
It was the second complete game effort by a Red Sox starter this season and pushed the Red Sox lead to 7.5 games in the A.L. East.
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
8:39 Severino is at 101 pitches after five innings, but may be set to come out for another inning, just to lessen the burden on a Yankee bullpen that was overtaxed last night with five innings of work. No one warming yet, so Severino will be asked to at least start the home sixth.
8:28 Porcello has been remarkably efficient tonight, needing just 51 pitches through five innings. Severino, meanwhile, has labored, with 84 after four innings.
8:10 Three hard-hit balls off Porcello in the top of the fourth -- all with exit-velocities over 100 mph -- but all hit directly at Bradley in CF.
7:45 Ian Kinsler was removed because of left hamstring tightness. The Sox have shifted players, with Pearce going to RF, Mitch Moreland to first and Betts to second. This is the first infield appearance in the big leagues for Betts since 2014, his rookie season, when he played 14 games at second.
7:25 The greatest week of Steve Pearce's life continues. He just lined yet another homer into the Monster Seats, his fourth homer in his last six plate appearances. We're six batters into this one and it's already percolating.
7:20 You could almost see this coming. The Yankees got their noses rubbed it in Thursday night in a 15-7 beatdown and when Brett Gardner got plunked on an 0-and-2 pitch to start the game, you had the feeling that the Yankees would respond. Sure enough, Luis Severino buzzed the tower with Mookie Betts, and immediately, home plate ump Adam Hamari warned both benches. That prompted Alex Cora to shoot out of the dugout and demand an explanation from Humari, who wasn't in the mood to provide one and tried to warn Cora away. But when Cora persisted, Humari was quick to eject him, further enraging, who, as they say, got his money's worth while staying on the field for a few minutes before being escorted away by crew chief Phil Cuzzi.
WHO: Red Sox vs. New York Yankees
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox took the opener Thursday, pounding the Yankees 15-7, which also tied the season series at 5-5. Overall, the Sox have won five of six and 20 of the last 25. Boston's lead in the East is up to a season-high 6.5 games. The Yankees, meanwhile, are taking on water, having gone 4-3 in their last seven games and allowing 22 runs in the last two games.
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Rick Porcello (13-4, 4.03) vs. RHP Luis Severino (14-4, 2.94).
TV/RADIO: NESN/MLBN; WEEI 93.7 FM
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Betts RF
Benintendi LF
Pearce 1B
Martinez DH
Kinsler 2B
Nunez 3B
Holt SS
Leon C
Bradley CF
YANKEES
Gardner LF
Stanton RF
Gregorius SS
Hicks CF
Torres 2B
Bird 3
Andujar DH
Romine C
Walker 3B
NEWS AND NOTES:
- The Sox placed catcher Blake Swihart (right hamstring) on the 10-day DL and brought up Dan Butler from Pawtucket to replace him on the roster. Swihart came out mid-game Thursday after experiencing tightness in the hamstring and given the position he plays, the team didn't want to risk having him as their backup catcher, but unavailable. "Hopefully it's something that doesn't take too long,'' said Alex Cora. Butler is a journeyman minor leaguer whose only other major league experience came back in 2014 when he was added as rosters expanded in September. "He's a guy we think can handle the staff,'' said Cora. "He knows us, we know him.''
- Xander Bogaerts (right hand) remained out of the lineup for the second straight game, as the Sox give him another day to recover from being struck by a fastball Tuesday night. "He's available,'' noted Cora. He took some swings in the cage Friday.
- 3B Rafael Devers took grounders and took batting practice and "should be back soon,'' Cora said. Devers is eligible to come off the DL Wednesday in Toronto.
- Despite righthander Luis Severino starting for New York, Cora elected to ride the hot hand and had Steve Pearce at first over Mitch Moreland, after Pearce belted three homers Thursday night. "It's hard to sit a guy who hit three homers,'' said Cora. "There's no stats, no nothing...he has to play.''