Final: Yankees 10, Red Sox 1 - Price pounded as Sox drop second straight

NEW YORK -- By now, that champagne is pretty cold.

The Red Sox went 0-for-2 in prospective clinching games, embarrassed by the New York Yankees 10-1 and delaying their clinching of a division title.

David Price was battered for three homers and six runs in 5.1 innings as his struggles in Yankee Stadium continued. Luke Voit hit two of the homers. A two-run error by Eduardo Nunez -- who allowed a sharply-hit grounder from Aaron Judge to roll between his legs -- contributed to Price's misery.

Joe Kelly, in relief of Price, was no better, allowing three hits to the four batters he faced, resulting in three more runs scoring.

The lone Red Sox run came in the fifth when Nunez doubled and rode home on a single from Sandy Leon. The latter snapped an 0-for-30 slump and was the catcher's first hit this month.

IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:

9:32    If you need to know how far Joe Kelly has fallen down the Red Sox' bullpen depth chart, the fact that he came into the game when the Sox were trailing by five....and left with them down seven....pretty much tells the story.

9:13    That's all for Price, who was largely victimized by the ballpark...and his third baseman. Gave up five hits, and three were homers, though just barely, as all three were hit in the same vicinity -- the first few rows in short-porch right. None traveled more than 343 feet. Still, not the result Price wanted in his last regular season appearance here -- and the four walks are a bit troubling, too.

8:36    Sandy Leon's run-scoring single -- delivering Nunez from second -- was his first hit this month and snapped an 0-for-30 slump. It also marked his first RBI since Aug. 14, more than a month ago.

7:55   Since moving to third last month, Eduardo Nunez hasn't displayed a lot of range, but he has made almost all of the plays on balls hit to him, providing a dependability that Rafael Devers didn't have at the position. But Nunez allowed a ball hit right to him to go right through his legs, costing the Red Sox two runs.

7:42  After tripling (!) up on changeups to Miguel Andujar, David Price throws him a fastball at the top of the strike zone and Andujar swats it out to right for a 1-0 New York lead.

7:21 The Red Sox continue to struggle with scoring chances. On Tuesday, in the series opener, they were 1-for-10 with eight runners stranded. In the first inning tonight, they had two at-bats with RISP and went hitless again, leaving two runners stranded. That's 1-for-12 with 10 stranded in 10 innings.

 

WHO: Red Sox vs. New York Yankees
WHEN: 7:05 p.m.
WHERE: Yankee Stadium
WHAT'S UP: After losing 3-2 Tuesday night in the series opener, the Red Sox give clinching another shot Wednesday night. Overall, the Sox have won six of their last eight games and 13 of their last 19. Their lead over second-place New York is 10.5 games with 11 games to play. Boston needs two wins to tie their all-time single-season win record of 105. A victory tonight would give them 104, the most they've had since 1946. On Tuesday, the bullpen did them in again, turning a 1-0 lead in the seventh into  a 3-1 deficit. It was the 12th blown save suffered by Red Sox relievers since the All-Star break. A win tonight would give the Sox 50 wins on the road and give them their first season with at least 50 wins at home and 50 away from home...David Price starts for the Red Sox. He's had mixed success against the Yankees this season. In his first two starts, he combined to go just 4.1 innings and was shelled for 12 runs. In his last outing against them, he limited them to two runs over six innings. Catcher Gary Sanchez has had great success (6-for-12, five homers), as has Didi Gregorius (13-for-32, .406). Since the All-Star break, Price is 5-0 with a 1.56 ERA and has limited opposing hitters to a .188 batting average. The Sox are 10-1 in his last 11 starts....Mookie Betts is trying to become the first Red Sox hitter since Wade Boggs in 1988 to lead all of baseball in batting average. He also ranks second in runs scored, OBP and OPS and is third in slugging...Meanwhile, J.D. Martinez leads the majors in RBI, slugging percentage and total bases...The double by Xander Bogaerts Tuesday night, gives his 43, the most for a Red Sox shortstop since Nomar Garciaparra, who had 56 in 2002....After belting the game-winning, walk-off homer in Atlanta two weeks ago today, Brandon Phillips has struggled, going 0-for-8 including an 0-for-4 night on Tuesday...The Yankees continue their last homestand of the season and 2-2 to date...The Yanks own a 2.5 game over Oakland for the top wild-card spot...Luis Severino, tonight's starter, is making his fifth start against the Red Sox this season, having gone 1-2 with a 4.24 ERA in the previous four outings...Overall, he's winless in his last three starts, despite pitching well in his last one, allowing just one run in 5.2 innings in Minnesota...Andrew Benintendi has hit well against Severino, going 11-for-24 (.458) with two homers and 10 RBI. Mitch Moreland (7-for-17) has also had some success.
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP David Price (15-6, 3.42) vs. RHP Luis Severino (17-8, 3.46)
TV/RADIO: NESN/WEEI 93.7 FM

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