All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 4-1 win over the Yankees, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Starting rotation continues to dominate: Looking for a reason why the Red Sox are starting to pull away in the A.L. East? Look no further than their starting pitchers. Despite currently having three starters on the DL (Eduardo Rodriguez, Steven Wright and Chris Sale), the Boston rotation has a 1.65 ERA since the All-Star break. On Saturday, Nathan Eovaldi turned in his second strong start since coming over from Tampa, giving the Red Sox eight scoreless innings, extending his shutout string to 15 innings in a Boston uniform. "Next guy in line,'' offered pitching coach Dana LeVangie of the current run. "Whoever's called upon steps up and does what they're supposed to do and what our team expects them to do. They do their job, they give our team a chance to win. They give us length. It's pretty special to watch.''
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1025883281714118656
Moreland's turn to play --- and homer: Alex Cora has been artfully alternating playing time at first between Steve Pearce and Mitch Moreland, and lately, he's been guessing right all the time. On Thursday, with lefty CC Sabathia on the mound, he went with Pearce, and got three homers and six RBI. Then, he went with Pearce again Friday -- despite the presence of a righty starter -- and got a two-run homer in the first inning. On Saturday, he went back to Moreland, and, of course, got another homer, a two-run shot in the first that, as it turned out, was all the support the Sox would need. He drove a pitch into the home bullpen for a quick 2-0 lead. It was Moreland's first homer since July 23. "Obviously, I was going up there, trying to make something happen,'' said Moreland. "I got in an advantage count. It was a breaking ball, split the plate, maybe a little down, and I was able to get a barrel on it.''
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1025840925010874368
Kimbrel struggles: The Red Sox wanted to get some work for closer Craig Kimbrel, whose previous outing came last Sunday against the Twins. That was understandable -- Eovaldi was at 93 pitches through eight and even though it was a non-save situation (the Sox lead 4-0), Kimbrel needed to stay sharp. But he made things pretty uncomfortable after two quick strikeouts. He allowed back-to-back doubles to Giancarlo Stanton and Didi Gregorius that ended with one run, then issued back-to-back walks to fill the bases for Greg Bird, with the potential tying run at first. Eventually, he got Bird to fly out harmlessly to center for the final out, but it required 32 harrowing pitches to get there. Kimbrel has 34 saves and is on pace to establish a career high, but all other indicators signal regression: his walk rate is up, as are his homers.
TURNING POINT
The Red Sox led 3-0 in the seventh but were looking to add on with two-out singles from Eduardo Nunez and Brock Holt gave them first-and-second. Sandy Leon served a liner down the left field line that was initially ruled foul, but the Sox challenged it and the call was overturned. The replay system took nearly three minutes to complete, and when it was over, with the Sox tacking on another late-inning run, you could almost see the Yankees deflate.
TWO UP
J.D. Martinez: Martinez continues to be a terror at Fenway, crushing his 21st homer at home in the fourth inning. (For some context, Manny Ramirez hit 21 homers at Fenway in 2004, but that was through the end of August.)
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1025851964091981824
Sandy Leon: In addition to expertly guiding Eovaldi, Leon also chipped in with an opposite-field, run-scoring double.
ONE DOWN
Mookie Betts: Two days after Betts reached base six times, this may have been his worst offensive game of the season. He was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, all of them swinging. It marked the third time this season he fanned three times in a game.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"He is who we thought he was.''
-- Cora, invoking memories of Dennis Green, in talking about Eovaldi.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The Red Sox have outscored the Yankees head-to-head 76-58 this season.
- The Sox are 17-3 in their last 20 home games and own a .732 winning percentage at home this year.
- Eovaldi became the 11th pitcher to start a game for the Sox against the Yankees and for the Yankees against the Red Sox.
- Martinez became the fifth Red Sox slugger in history to hit at least 33 homers in the first 112 games.
- Leon is batting .316 with four RBI in nine games against the Yankees this season.
- Martinez extended his on-base streak to 48 games.