Friday's game meant something for the Yankees and nothing for the Red Sox - and it played out that way.
The Yankees, in search of one more win to guarantee they'll host their wild-card game with Oakland on Wednesday, got what they needed with an 11-5 pounding of the Sox.
The Sox grabbed a 2-0 lead in the third and never trailed, belting four homers off four different Red Sox pitchers. Starter Brian Johnson, who lasted just three innings, took the loss.
Five of the six Red Sox runs scored courtesy of Steve Pearce. Pearce hit a grand slam off New York starter J.A. Happ in the sixth and singled home a run in the eighth.
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
10:06 Pearce strikes again with a run-scoring single to center, scoring Mookie Betts. The Sox have five runs tonight and Pearce has knocked in all five of them.
9:18 Steve Pearce owns J.A. Happ. Pearce crushes a ball into the Monster Seats for a grand slam, marking his sixth career homer off the lefty in just 32 at-bats.
9:01 Terrific play by Rafael Devers at third, who makes a fine backhanded stop of a hard smash from Andrew McCutchen, then unleashes a strong throw to first to nip McCutchen at first.
8:25 Cuevas throws Aaron Hicks a fastball down and in and pays for it as Hicks homers over the bullpens for a three-run homer and the rout is officially on.
8:22 Gleyber Torres and the Yankees catch a break, as the Red Sox had him cut down at the plate on a single to left by Andrew McCutchen on a strong relay by Xander Bogaerts. But Blake Swihart dropped the ball as he applied the tag and the Yanks are leading 5-0.
8:04 Another short start for Brian Johnson, who goes three innings and allows two runs on three hits. William Cuevas, who pitched well in Cleveland last Sunday, on now.
7:41 Solo homer over the Monster Seats for Gary Sanchez, giving the Yankees a 1-0 lead. That's his third homer of the season against the Red Sox. Three of his seven hits against them this year have been homers. He also has 13 career homers against the Sox, the most for any current member of the Yankees.
WHO: Red Sox vs. New York Yankees
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
WHAT'S UP: This is the first game of the final series of the regular season. The Red Sox hold a nine-game lead over the Yankees and have already clinched the division and the best record in baseball. It's possible the two teams could be meeting in Game 1 of the Division Series a week from today, but first, the Yankees have get by the Oakland A's in the wild card game...The Red Sox are 9-7 against the Yankees this season. The Sox are 6-1 at Fenway against the Yanks this year...Every win the Red Sox earn adds to their record-breaking win total; they're currently at 107. Should the Red Sox manage to sweep the series, they would finish 58 games over .500, tying a franchise mark established in 1912...After a power shortage earlier in the month, the Red Sox have hit 15 homers in their last seven games. They also gave been successful in 17 of their last 18 stolen base attempts in the last 15 games. If the Sox can steal five bases in the final three games, they can set a franchise record for the Live Ball era. Their high is 126 in 2009. A sweep would also give Alex Cora the record for most games won by a first-year manager. Ralph Houk, who guided the 1961 Yankees to 109 wins, holds the record...In his last four games, Mookie Betts is 12-for-18 with three homers, five doubles, eight RBI and eight runs scored...J.D. Martinez needs one homer to become the franchise record-holder for most homers hit in the first season with the Sox. He's currently tied with Dick Stuart with 42 homers...Should Martinez hit three doubles in the final three games, he would also give the Sox four players with 40 or more doubles...Lefty Brian Johnson is making his 13th start of the season tonight. He's 4-2 with a 4.02 ERA in his first 12 outings. He's made one previous start against the Yankees, allowing four runs in five innings and picking up the win on Aug. 2...Among New York hitters, Giancarlo Stanton is 3-for-5 while Didi Gregorius is 2-for-6 with two homers and four RBI...The Yankees need one more win -- or one more loss by the A's -- to clinch home field for Wednesday's wild card game...They're 3-1 so far on their last road trip of the season and 7-3 in their last 10 games overall...Yankee starters have allowed two earned runs or fewer in 16 of the last 19 games...Meanwhile, J.A. Happ has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 11 straight starts against the Red Sox...Among Red Sox hitters, Steve Pearce hits him best, going 10-for-29 with five homers and 12 RBI...Ian Kinsler is 7-for-25 with two homers and five RBI and Brandon Phillips is 8-for-23 with three homers and seven RBI.
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Brian Johnson (4-4, 4.11) vs. LHP J.A. Happ (16-6, 3.57)
TV/RADIO: NESN/ESPN; WEEI 93.7 FM
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Betts CF
Benintendi LF
Martinez RF
Bogaerts SS
Pearce 1B
Devers 3B
Nunez DH
Kinsler 2B
Swihart C
YANKEES
McCutchen LF
Judge RF
Hicks CF
Stanton DH
Voit 1B
Gregorius SS
Andujar 3B
Sanchez C
Torres 2B
NEWS AND NOTES:
- Alex Cora said the Red Sox have mapped out the weekend in terms of playing time for many of the regulars. He expects both Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi and Jackie Bradley Jr. to play two of the remaining three games while J.D. Martinez could start all three because he wants the at-bats.
- Cora said all three catchers will get a start with Blake Swihart tonight, Christian Vazquez Saturday and Sandy Leon Sunday.
- Eduardo Nunez (hamstring) is back in the lineup as the DH Friday night and will likely play third on Sunday. "He's a full go,'' said Cora.
- Cora confirmed that the team will go with 11 pitchers and 14 position players in the ALDS. Cora said he has two remaining decisions for the roster, both of them in the bullpen.