NEW YORK -- All you need to know, in quickie form. about the Red Sox' 11-6 win over the Yankees, complete with BSJ insight and analysis:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Mookie leads the way: In the game that saw them wrap up the AL East for the third time in as many years -- and do it in their rival's ballpark -- Mookie Betts led the way. He doubled and scored in the first inning, singled home two in the second, doubled and scored in the fifth and then salted the win away with a three-run homer in the eighth, turning a two-run lead into a five-run cushion. Betts has been the Red Sox' best overall player from the first game of the season, and more often than not, sets the tone for the offense at the top of the lineup. On Thursday night, he snapped out of a bit of a funk and carried the Red Sox to a win, driving in nearly half their runs while scoring three himself. If anyone was debating about his worthiness as an MVP candidate, his performance Thursday may have erased any doubts.
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1042971871984013312
Wright a bullpen savior: Just when it seemed that the Red Sox didn't have anyone effective to pitch in relief, Steven Wright was brilliant, giving them three innings of nearly perfect work out of the bullpen. He retired the first eight hitters he faced, and after a two-out single, came back to get a flyout. The Red Sox' bullpen has been a mess of late, with relievers seemingly intent on disqualifying themselves from post-season consideration with their ineptitude. Before Wright settled things down in the fifth, for instance, Heath Hembree allowed a grand slam on the second pitch he threw. On Tuesday night, both Brandon Workman and Ryan Brasier had imploded. In Wednesday's loss, it was Joe Kelly's turn. But Wright, with his floating knuckleball, kept the Yankees off-balance over his three frames and has now thrown 10 scoreless innings in relief since coming off the disabled list, putting himself in a spot to handle high-leverage assignments in October.
ERod faceplants: Starter Eduardo Rodriguez has one of the worst outings for a Red Sox starter this season, issuing seven walks in 3.2 innings pitched, as the Yankees scored five runs. Rodriguez had little command of his pitches and of the seven men he walked, four came around to score. It was the kind of start that has you doubting Rodriguez's worthiness of a spot in the postseason rotation. He's either brilliant or infuriating. And efficiency, never a strong suit, was even worse than usual Thursday night as he needed 99 pitches to get just 11 outs. Fortunately for Rodriguez, Wright and Betts combined to bail him out, so his lousy starts will soon be forgotten on a night when the Red Sox celebrated and soaked themselves with champagne. But it could leave some questions about his role going forward.
SECOND GUESS
It was clear from the start that Rodriguez couldn't throw strikes Thursday night. He walked two of the first four hitters he faced in the first, and added one walk each in both the second and third innings. But when he walked two after getting two out in the fourth, Alex Cora should have made his move. Instead, he allowed Rodriguez to walk a third hitter, loading the bases for Heath Hembree, leaving no margin for error. And sure enough, Hembree surrendered a grand slam to Giancarlo Stanton. That's not Cora's fault, of course, but he should have been quicker with the hook.
https://twitter.com/Yankees/status/1042948303585828864
THREE UP
Andrew Benintendi: Benintendi entered the game in a major funk with just three hits in his last 23 at-bats, but after going hitless in his first two at-bats, delivered a single, double and a walk.
Rafael Devers: The third baseman, who ceded the starting third base job to Eduardo Nunez, has been having better at-bats of late and contributed two singles in four at-bats.
Jackie Bradley, Jr.: Tied the game with a solo shot in the seventh inning.
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1042957137205284864
ONE DOWN
Heath Hembree: For much of the season, Hembree has been the guy the Red Sox have turned to in the middle of innings with runners on base. But when they did so Thursday night, Hembree's second pitch resulted in a grand slam.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"Obviously, it's a great accomplishment, but where we play, just winning the division is not enough. They want a World Series ring. And we've got a shot now.''
— Cora.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The Sox are 76-10 when they score five or more runs this season and are 18-0 in their last 18 such games.
- Improved to 9-7 vs. the Yankees this season.
- After going just 2-for-15 with RISP in the first two games, the Red Sox were 4-for-11 with RISP Thursday night.
- The seven walks by Rodriguez were a career high.
- J.D. Martinez has hit safely in his last seven games against the Yankees.
- Craig Kimbrel had his seventh straight scoreless appearance.