And on their 10th try, they finally succeeded.
After dropping the first nine games this season with the Yankees, the Red Sox salvaged the tiniest shred of dignity by pounding the Yanks 10-2, limiting them to just three hits and thus avoided being swept in the season series for the first time in their history.
Rookie Tanner Houck followed his debut performance with another great one, allowing the Yankees only an unearned run over six innings and not allowing a hit through the first five. He has yet to allow an earned run in 11 innings over two starts.
Michael Chavis hit two homers -- his first two of the season at home -- and knocked in five runs while Jackie Bradley Jr. added four hits and three runs scored. Bobby Dalbec and J.D. Martinez added solo homers.
WHO: Red Sox (19-34) vs. New York Yankees (31-21)
WHEN: 1:07 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: NYY 9-0
SERIES TO DATE: 2-0
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Tanner Houck (1-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Devei Garcia (2-1, 3.28)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI 93.7 FM
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Vazquez C
Devers 3B
Martinez DH
Dalbec 1B
Bradley CF
Chavis LF
Puello RF
Lin 2B
Arauz SS
YANKEES
LeMaheiu 3B
Voit 1B
Hicks CF
Stanton DH
Torres SS
Gardner LF
Frazier RF
Sanchez C
Wade 2B
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
B8th: J.D. Martinez homers into the Monster Seats off catcher-turned-pitcher Eric Kratz.
B7th: Arauz snaps an 0-for-20 with a groundball single up the middle, scoring Chavis.
B7th: An example of more Light Tower Power from Dalbec, who clears The Wall with plenty to spare leading off the 7th, his seventh homer of the season.
B6th: Vazquez reaches on a "sun ball'' double as Aaron Hicks loses the ball in the sky, ducks for cover and has the ball land a few feet away.
T6th: Houck has given up the first run of his major league career as Wade scores from third on a double-play.
T6th: Tyler Wade lines the second pitch of the sixth inning to the gap in right-center for the first Yankee hit.
T5th: After walking the leadoff batter, Tanner Houck comes back to get the next three hitters, the final two by strikeout. He has not allowed a hit through five innings, or a run through his first 10 in the big leagues.
B4th: Granted, Christian Vazquez runs well for a catcher. For a catcher. But he needs to be disabused of the notion that he runs well, period. Caught stealing.
B3rd: Chavis is in the swing of things. From no homers at home to two in the span of two innings. This one was more of a line drive and it came with two runners aboard. Red Sox now leading 6-0.
B3rd: Sharp single up the middle for Bradley, who has his second hit of the day, scoring Devers from second.
T3rd: Sloppy error by Rafael Devers, who takes too long on a big one-hopper, and then throws wildly, pulling Dalbec off the bag.
B2nd: Jonathan Arauz looks lost at the plate the last few weeks, now 0-for-18. Ron Roenicke took the blame two days ago, saying he kept him out of games too long, causing him to lose his swing. But this looks like more than that.
B2nd: Not much doubt about that one as Michael Chavis, down in the count 1-and-2, gets a hanging slider which he belts over everything in left. Incredibly, that was his first homer at Fenway this seaosn.
B2nd: Jackie Bradley Jr. continues to use the whole field, something he's done for most of the season. Leads off the second by banging a double high off The Wall. He's hit safely in 26 of the last 31 and has managed to avoid those long slumps.
T1st: Nicely turned double play on the part of Bobby Dalbec, who showed off his arm in starting that 3-6-3 double play. Not an easy play to make as a a righthanded first baseman, but he made a strong, accurate throw to second to cut down the lead runner. Arm strength and accuracy were a hallmark of Dalbec's play as a third baseman.
PRE-GAME NOTES:
- Both Christian Arroyo (back spasms) and Alex Verdugo (left hamstring) are unavailable today, leaving Ron Roenicke with a short bench. The hope is that both players will be available Tuesday after an off-day Monday.
- A number of sidelined pitchers continue to make progress toward full heal. "They're all doing better,'' reported Roenicke. "I just watched (Austin) Brice throw a bullpen. He looked really good. So, with him, hopefully, we can get him back. (Andrew) Triggs threw yesterday and I think he has a bullpen later today. Josh (Taylor) is feeling better, but we're not sure what we're going to do with him. It's how important it is for some guys to come back and pitch and really, Josh is one of the guys, I don't think it's really that important to come back and pitch. If it's important to him, that's different. So we'll continue to talk to him and the medical side and see what's the best for him. But he's feeling a lot better.''
- Roenicke wouldn't disclose who the starting pitcher will be Tuesday, though it's clear it will be Nick Pivetta, obtained from Philadelphia a month ago. "You guys can guess,'' chuckled Roenicke. Nathan Eovaldi will start Wednesday.