All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 8-5 win over the Yankees, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Price pitches Red Sox to a win: The Red Sox were desperate for a win. They had lost four straight coming into Sunday night, tied for their longest losing streak of the season. They had also dropped each of the first four head-to-head meetings with the Yankees and could ill afford to drop further back from the 9.5 games out they sat at the start of the night. What they needed was a well-pitched game, which is what they got from starter David Price. Price retired the first 10 Yankees in order, relying heavily on both his cutter and changeup. In the fourth, he ran into some trouble and allowed two runs, but managed to limit the damage. He then righted himself again and retired seven of the next eight before being lifted in the seventh inning. It was the kind of performance the Sox didn't get the first two games of the series from Chris Sale and Rick Porcello, and the fact that it came at Yankee Stadium, where Price had never won as a member of the Red Sox, made it all the more significant.
Balanced offensive support: In a 13-hit attack, the Red Sox got contributions from nearly everyone. Every starter but Mookie Betts and Sam Travis had at least one hit and seven different Red Sox hitters knocked in a run. The Sox got early solo homers from both J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts to get them an early lead, then, later in the game, leading by just one run, they did what they've been unable to do so often this season: add on. The Sox sent seven hitters to the plate in the seventh inning and scored three runs, as pinch-hitter Brock Holt and Andrew Benintendi produced run-scoring hits while another run scored thanks to the sloppy play of New York right fielder Clint Frazier. In the eighth, it was more of the same, with Rafael Devers and Michael Chavis chipping in with RBI hits. That kind of sustained pressure and longer rallies have been absent from the Sox and it was a good sign that they were able to score six of their eight runs without the benefit of a homer.
Barnes struggles mightily: It was, in every respect, an ugly bottom of the eighth inning. Rain fell hard at Yankee Stadium and lightning filled the sky. The conditions made the mound muddy and the ball slippery and definitely impacted reliever Matt Barnes, who needed some work. But it became a nightmare for Barnes, who allowed a ground single then two walks to fill the bases. It was obvious that Barnes was having difficulty gripping the ball and his command was off. He was also called for a bases-loaded balk, forcing in one run. A groundout and a sacrifice fly produced two more, and the half-inning took more than 20 minutes to complete, as Barnes had no tempo and there were delays as the ground crew attempted to improve footing on the mound and at the plate.
TURNING POINT
In the fourth inning, the Yankees appeared to have Price on the ropes. With one out, a solo homer from Luke Voit followed by three straight singles and a sacrifice fly produced two runs. New York had runners at the corner and two out when the Yankees put a play on, as Gleyber Torres broke for second. The Sox chased him back, then threw home where Hicks was caught in an inning-ending rundown.
ONE UP
Michael Chavis: Chavis came into the game hitless in his last 11 at-bats with seven strikeouts, but produced two hits and an RBI while also turning in a couple of nice plays in the field.
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1135363466892591106
ONE DOWN
Mookie Betts: Returning to the top spot in the lineup hasn't exactly lit a fire for the reigning MVP. Since Alex Cora announced Friday that Betts would first the rest of the way, he's just 1-for-12 and Sunday night was hitless in five at-bats.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"We won today, but we know we need to keep improving.''— Cora.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Brandon Workman earned his second save of the season.
- Xander Bogaerts now has five homers in his last 12 games.
- Andrew Benintendi got thrown trying to steal third base, just the second time in nine tries he's been caught.
- When Eduardo Nunez singled home Christian Vazquez in the second inning, he became the first Red Sox player other than Sandy Leon to collect a hit against the Yankees with a runner in scoring position this season.