All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 8-0 loss to the Yankees, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Dalbec endures a rough night: At the plate, the slumping Bobby Dalbec showed some life, powering a ground-rule double to right in his final plate appearance of the night. But on the bases and in the field, it didn't go so well. In the first inning, he cut off a throw headed to the plate when it appeared the Sox might have had a play. Instead, a run scored. In the top of the ninth, Dalbec took a throw from right fielder Cesar Puello to double up Luke Voit at first. But while Dalbec took his time getting to the bouncing throw and stepping on the bag, the Yankees were able to cross the plate with another run before the out was recorded. Lastly, Dalbec, with his team trailing by seven and no out, attempted to advance from second to third on a ball hit right in front of him to short. After initially being called out, Dalbec was ruled safe on a replay challenge, but that didn't make the move any less ill-advised. "That's judgment,'' said Ron Roenicke. "Sometimes there's just a lot going on and you don't react the right way. But from what I've heard he's a good baserunner and got good instincts. The more he plays, the more he'll get better at that.''
What rivalry? The numbers keep getting worse when it comes to the Yankees. The loss Saturday night made it nine straight wins for the Yankees vs. the Red Sox this season. Dating back to last year, the Yankees have won the last 12 head-to-head meetings, tying the franchise record for most consecutive losses to New York, originally set in 1936 and tied in 1952-53. Since eliminating the Yankees in the 2018 American League Division Series, the Sox are just 5-23 against the Yankees. And Sunday, in the final meeting of the year between the clubs, the Yankees have a chance to sweep the season series for the first time in history.
Injuries piling up: With just over a week remaining in the regular season, the Red Sox are quickly running out of healthy bodies. The team placed INF/OF Yairo Munoz on the IL for the remainder of the season Saturday afternoon with back spasms. Alex Verdugo was out of the starting lineup Saturday night with tightness in his left hamstring, having left Friday's game in the fourth inning when he felt the hamstring grab some. Then, in the fourth inning Saturday, second baseman Christian Arroyo was removed from the game, also complaining of back spasms. He's considered day-to-day. He was replaced the rest of the way with Jonathan Arauz at second base. With Arroyo and Verdugo uncertain for Sunday, Roenicke could be playing with a short bench when it comes to position players. However, Roenicke plans to give Xander Bogaerts the day off Sunday afternoon after the shortstop had some cramping Friday night. "We're OK,'' said Roenicke. "We'll get by.''
TURNING POINT:
In fifth, unable to generate any offense to speak of and already trailing 4-0, Dylan Covey gave up a three-run blast to Clint Frazier and the Yankees were on their way to a rout, extending their comfortable lead further to seven runs.
ONE UP
J.D. Martinez: Small steps, perhaps, but Martinez had better at-bats, with two sharp singles to left, lifting his batting average above the .200 mark -- at least temporarily.
TWO DOWN
Xander Bogaerts: The normally sure-handed Bogaerts committed two errors in the same inning -- on the first, he bobbled a roller hit directly at him, and later in the fourth, he fired a wild throw to first. Bogaerts had made two errors in the first 45 games, but he now made three in his last three games.
Dylan Covey: In relief of starter Chris Mazza, Covey has a brutal first inning, issuing a walk to the first man he faced before allowing two singles and a three-run homer in the span of four more batters.
QUOTE OF NOTE:
"We've had trouble with (J.A.) Happ. In the three years we've been here, we have not hit him pretty well.'' Ron Roenicke on his team's struggles at the plate.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Kevin Plawecki, who had thrown out only two basestealers this season before Saturday, threw out two in the span of four innings.
- Cesar Puello recorded two outfield assists, giving the Red Sox an MLB-leading 16 for the season.
- Jackie Bradley Jr. saw his hitting streak snapped at six games.