All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' loss to the Yankees, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Sox get walked off: The Red Sox began their season with a walkoff loss in the Bronx. So it was somehow fitting that the first game of the final series between the Sox and Yankees would end the same way. After the Sox failed to preserve a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth, with Ryan Brasier allowing the tying run to score, the Yankees eventually won it in the 10th -- and it didn't take long. With the automatic runner on second, the Sox chose to intentionally walk Gleyber Torres to help set up the double play. But with reliever Kaleb Ort facing Josh Donaldson, the Yankee third baseman drilled the second pitch he saw between third and short and into left field. The ball wasn't hit that hard and even with left fielder Tommy Pham charging in, pinch-runner Marwin Gonzalez scored easily, with Pham's throw late and up the third base line. The win officially clinched a spot in the postseason for the Yankees and also allowed them to clinch the season series against the Red Sox.
Judge thwarted in search for No. 61: With the Sox far out of contention and the Yankees comfortably in first place in the division, most of the attention going in was on Aaron Judge's quest for his 61st homer, which would tie Roger Maris -- not only for the Yankee club record, but the American League record as well. Alex Cora said the Sox would go after Judge, but whether it was nerves or something else, starter Michael Wacha didn't throw him a lot of strikes in the early part of the game. Wacha walked Judge in both the first and third innings before striking him out in the fifth. Judge worked a walk off reliever John Schreiber in the seventh before coming to the plate in the bottom of the ninth in a tie game, facing Matt Barnes. With the count full, Judge appeared to have hit the record-tying homer and won the game, driving a ball to the deepest part of the ballpark in center field. But the ball seemed to get hung up in the air, and Kiké Hernandez, his back nearly against the center field fence, hauled in the ball for the second out of the inning. Yankee Stadium went from delirious to very quiet in an instant.
TURNING POINT
In the eighth inning, the Red Sox led by a run, 4-3, and had a golden chance to add on. Aroldis Chapman issued two one-out walks and Lou Trivino walked a third, filling the bases. But Yu Chang popped up for the second out and Reese McGuire fanned, leaving three runners stranded. The Yankees then scratched out a run in the bottom of the inning to tie it and the loss was set in motion for the Sox.
TWO UP
Reese McGuire: The catcher delivered what was easily the biggest hit of the night from the Red Sox' viewpoint, coming off the bench to hit for Connor Wong with two on and one out and drilling a three-run pinch-hit homer to put the Sox ahead, 4-3.
Triston Casas: Casas launched the third homer of his career in the seventh, worked a walk in the eighth and played a smooth first base, including starting a couple of double plays.
TWO DOWN
Xander Bogaerts: The shortstop came into the night neck-and-neck with Judge for the AL batting title lead, trailing by a point. He didn't do anything to help himself, however, going hitless in five plate appearances.
Ryan Brasier: Brasier entered the eighth with the Sox in possession of a one-run lead, and when he left, the game was tied. Brasier wasn't hit hard -- the only hit he allowed an infield hit to short -- but he didn't preserve the lead and that's the name of the game for late-inning relievers.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"I frankly don't care about history. We've got a ballgame to win.'' Matt Barnes, on facing Aaron Judge in the ninth inning.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The walkoff loss was the ninth of the season for the Red Sox.
* The Red Sox turned four double plays.
* Reese McGuire is now 5-for-8 as a pinch-hitter this season.
* The home run by Triston Casas in the seventh inning snapped an 0-for-18 hitless streak.
* The Sox fell to 7-11 in extra innings this season.
* John Schreiber extended his scoreless streak to 11 straight appearances.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Yankees continue their final series of the season Friday in the Bronx, with LHP Rich Hill (7-7, 4.70) vs. RHP Gerrit Cole (12-7, 3.41) set for 7:05 p.m.