All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' loss to the Yankees, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Perfect execution does in Sox in ninth: With the game tied 2-2 and runners at the corners, the Yankees put the squeeze play on for Isiah Kiner-Falefa and the shortstop dropped down a perfect bunt toward first base. Both first baseman Eric Hosmer and pitcher John Schreiber charged toward the bunt and Schreiber fielded it cleanly. But his momentum was carrying him toward the first base line and he couldn't shovel the ball home. Meanwhile, with Hosmer crashing, first base was unoccupied and Schreiber had no one to throw the ball to in order to get the out at first,
Crawford solid, but one mistake costly: Kutter Crawford provided the Red Sox with six strong innings, and didn't allow a base hit until two were out in the fourth inning. He battled his control somewhat, issuing four walks, but his big mistake came with Isiah Kiner-Falefa at the plate and a runner on first and two outs in the fifth. Crawford left a pitch over the middle of the plate and Kiner-Falefa, who hadn't homered all season, drove it into the Monster Seats to tie the game at 2-2. In 11 innings across two starts against the Yankees this year, he's allowed just three runs, but the two he gave up Saturday night came with at a time when there wasn't any margin for error. Still, he's gone five or more innings in each of his last eight starts and continues to solidify his spot in the rotation.
Big Three not producing for Sox: Saturday marked the fourth straight game in which the Red Sox failed to score more than four runs, and it's not difficult to isolate a big part of the problem. The Red Sox trio of Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts and J,.D. Martinez is, with few exceptions, in a collective slump. On Saturday, they were a combined 1-for-14. In the last 10 games, Devers is 4-for-40 with one homer and three RBI while Martinez is 7-for-37 with no homers and six RBI. Meanwhile, over the last seven games, Bogaerts is 5-for-28 with no homers and one RBI. "It's tough,'' admitted Martinez. "We're the core of the lineup, you know. We've got to hit and when we don't, most of the time it's tough to win games. But that's on us. We're going to have to figure it out.
TURNING POINT
The Red Sox seemed to have the Yankees -- and reliever Aroldis Chapman, in particular -- on the ropes in the seventh inning, with Xander Bogaerts on second and Alex Verdugo at first, with a favorable pitching matchup vs. the righthanded J.D. Martinez. But Bogaerts, representing the potential go-ahead run already in scoring position, strangely broke for third base, and the Yankees timed their response well, as Chapman threw to Josh Donaldson, who tagged out Bogaerts to end the threat and the inning. "Obviously, Chapman's slow to the plate,'' said Alex Cora. "But we just have to let the game settle there and let J.D. take his chances there. But they were ready for it.'' Said Martinez: "I'm not mad at him for doing it. It's baseball. It happens.''
TWO UP
Reese McGuire: The catcher has hit safely in all six of his starts since joining the Sox. He had two hits and a sacrifice fly.
Alex Verdugo: For the fourth time this season, Verdugo reached base four times. In right field, he also made a couple of fine plays, tracking down balls near the wall.
TWO DOWN
Rafael Devers: Devers went hitless in five trips to the plate, and stranded three baserunners along the way.
J.D. Martinez: After showing signs of progress with a three-hit night on Friday, Martinez fell back into a funk Saturday, going 0-for-4 with a double play.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"We cannot get picked off there.'' Alex Cora on Xander Bogaerts breaking early for third base and getting thrown out in the seventh inning while representing the go-ahead run.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* This was the seventh time in 12 games this season that a game between the Red Sox and Yankees was decided by a single run.
* Eric Hosmer has successfully reached base in five of the seven games he's played for the Sox since being traded to Boston.
* Christian Arroyo has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games since coming off the IL, hitting .404 in that span.
* The game marked the fourth straight in which the Red Sox have gotten at least five innings from their starter.
* Over the last 10.1 innings, the Red Sox bullpen has allowed just one run.
UP NEXT
The teams close out their weekend series at 7:08 p,m. Sunday night, with RHP Michael Wacha (6-1, 2.69) returning from the IL to start for the Sox, vs. RHP Jameson Taillon (11-2, 3.95)