All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 8-5 loss to the Yankees, complete with BSJ analysis and insight
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Rodriguez not doing himself any favors: Alex Cora was uncharacteristically critical of lefty Eduardo Rodriguez after Rodriguez was knocked around for three runs on four hits and two walks in just two innings of work. "Not good,'' concluded Cora, noting that the Yankees' left-handed hitters roughed up particularly hard. "He has to be better. We need to be better. He's part of this and whatever role it is, it's your role and you have to go after it. Today, it wasn't good.'' Interestingly, as reporters were leaving a nearly-empty clubhouse after the game, Rodriguez was called into Cora's office for a closed-door meeting. For his part, Rodriguez didn't seem too concerned. "I missed a couple of pitches and they made contact,'' said Rodriguez. "That's it. I've been feeling great (in relief). Just because I allowed a couple of runs doesn't mean I don't feel good. I've felt good the last couple of times I was out there. I'm just getting ready this coming week to be in the postseason.'' Indeed, before Saturday, Rodriguez has pitched 3.1 scoreless innings over his last two outings, allowing just one hit while striking out five. But in his last two appearances against the Yankees, he's combined: 5.2 innings, eight hits, eight earned runs with nine walks allowed.
https://twitter.com/Yankees/status/1046112779353149440
Eovaldi does some fine-tuning: Thanks to a throwing error by third baseman Rafael Devers, Nathan Eovaldi saw his scoreless streak against his former team come to an end at 14 in the first inning when New York managed an unearned run against him. But Eovaldi was otherwise sharp with two innings and just one hit allowed to go with four strikeouts. "I've been able to have good location with all of my pitches and I feel like that's the most important factor in all of this,'' said Eovaldi. "Going into the playoffs, I feel really confident. I feel really good about my mechanics and all of my pitches.'' It had been widely assumed that Eovaldi would be the team's No. 4 starter in ALDS if the Sox faced the Yankees, with perhaps Rodriguez getting that slot if the Sox draw Oakland. But given how the two have been trending, it's hard to imagine Eovaldi not being part of the rotation in the first round -- regardless of the opponent.
Holt showing pop down the stretch: Utility man Brock Holt has come on strong in the final month of the season. He homered in the ninth inning Saturday to bring the Sox to within three in the ninth, giving him four in his last 13 games after he hit just three in his first 95 games. Over that 13 game stretch, he's hitting .405 (15-for-37) with 11 RBI and in his last 34 games, is hitting .330 with 19 RBI. "Things have been going good,'' Holt said. "I feel like I'm putting myself in good position and in good counts to hit and when I get a good pitch, I'm squaring it up. It's been a good little run for me personally, so hopefully, I can keep it going.
TURNING POINT
A nasty trend -- failure to hit with men in scoring position -- has returned in the final week or so. The Red Sox were a ghastly 3-for-17 with runners in scoring position while stranding 11 baserunners. The trouble began right in the first inning when the Sox got base hits from Andrew Benintendi and Brock Holt, giving them runners at the corners with no out -- then failed to score. The same problem would repeat itself throughout the afternoon, right through the eighth inning when they loaded the bases with no out and had to settle for just one run.
TWO UP
Andrew Benintendi: Hitting leadoff with Mookie Betts getting the day off, Benintendi belted a couple of singles and drove in a run.
Heath Hembree: It's unknown whether a good outing could help earn him a spot on the postseason roster, but Hembree looked good in a scoreless inning of relief, including a strikeout.
ONE DOWN
Rafael Devers: Just when it seemed like his game was on the upswing, he made a sloppy throw for an error in the first inning, then went hitless (0-for-3) with two strikeouts.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"I think we're for ready the games to start mattering again.''
— Holt.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The Red Sox suffered their third-straight loss, tying their season high. They haven't lost four in a row all year.
- The season series between the teams is tied 9-9.
- The Sox will finish with a 33-12-7 record in series.
- Brock Holt matched his season-high for homers with seven.
- Andrew Benintendi has six RBI in his last six games.