All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Yankees’ 3-1 win over the Red Sox, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
For two straight nights, the Red Sox got an excellent outing from their starting pitcher. Tanner Houck was impressive, holding the Yankees lineup to just three hits, two runs with one walk and six strikeouts. Unfortunately, his opponent Domingo Germán was even better.
Houck was surgical to begin the game retiring nine straight batters. The fourth inning once again was the right-hander's Achilles heel as he surrendered a solo blast to Gleyber Torres. It was his 11th homer this season and put the Yankees on top early.
Rafael Devers homered for the second straight night. His 15th-round tripper this season came in the sixth inning, at the time tying the game. The Devers blast was his 21st of his career against the Yankees, passing Sox legend Ted Williams (20).
Rafael Devers loves hitting at Yankee Stadium. pic.twitter.com/GSmQZbehhC
— MLB (@MLB) June 11, 2023
Houck was back out for the sixth and he unfortunately wasn’t able to keep the game tied. Willie Calhoun hammered the righty for a solo homer to give the Yanks a 2-1 lead. Calhoun’s homer was his fifth of the season and it barely cleared the wall in right field.
According to the Twitter handle Would it Dong, the Calhoun had an exit velocity of 98.3 and would only have been a homer in Yankee Stadium.
Willie Calhoun vs Tanner Houck#RepBX
— Would it dong? (@would_it_dong) June 11, 2023
🦄 IT'S A UNICORN 🦄
Home Run (5) 💣
Exit velo: 98.3 mph
Launch angle: 19 deg
Proj. distance: 362 ft
This would have been a home run at Yankee Stadium and nowhere else.
BOS (1) @ NYY (2)
🔻 6th pic.twitter.com/1uKLyQUctp
Boston was held scoreless over the first five innings but had opportunities to plate home runs. Kike Hernández had a chance to cash in on a threat with runners on the corners and two outs but lined to short ending the rally.
In the third inning, Justin Turner (2-for-4) singled to left field. The 38-year-old stole second base after Germán paid no attention to him at first. He would advance to third after Yanks catcher Kyle Hagashioka committed a throwing error, air-mailing a throw into center field. With Turner at third, Devers had a chance to drive in the run but flew out to the left fielder.
The Sox bats went silent beyond that courtesy of the Yankees bullpen.
TURNING POINT
Germán was the star of the game for the Yankees. The right-hander pitched six innings and allowed just one run off six hits and two walks with five strikeouts. He kept the Red Sox offense at bay all night despite, carving up the Sox lineup like deli meat. Devers hitting a homer off him in the sixth inning was his only mistake. Germán has allowed two or fewer runs in six of his past seven starts and lowered his ERA from 5.54 to 3.49.
UP
Houck was impressive tossing three perfect innings, but was snake-bit by the long ball in the fourth inning. It was par for the course for Houck, coming into Saturday night, when he sees an opponent's lineup a second time, his ERA is 4.84, almost two points higher than the first time he battles a lineup.
The right-hander can continue to build off starts like these as he continues to occupy a spot in the rotation.
Houck tossed six innings and threw 93 pitches, 56 for strikes. He had his slider working all night, especially against left-handers. Houck threw 40 sliders and endured 12 swings and seven whiffs. His sinker was his main secondary pitch, he threw 32 while earning 16 swings and two whiffs.
DOWN
The Red Sox summoned Jarren Duran off the bench as a pinch hitter in the ninth. The Sox outfielder failed to cash in on the opportunity, leaving his bat on his shoulder, striking out looking to open the frame. He was retired on three straight pitches from Yankees closer Clay Holmes.
Alex Verdugo gave the Sox life with a base hit into left field but Holmes was too much Masataka Yoshida. He would punch out Yoshida and force Turner to ground out to end the game.
The Sox are back under .500 at 32-33 and remain all by themselves in the basement in the tough AL East.
NOTABLE
Wandy Peralta came in relief for Germán and had an epic battle against Yoshida. Peralta threw 14 pitches, Yoshida fouling pitch after pitch off would win the tug-of-war by walking.
Masataka Yoshida earns a 14-pitch walk 👏 pic.twitter.com/fMBPJFQp3a
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 11, 2023
SERIES FINALE PROBABLES
Sunday: RHP Brayan Bello (3-4, 3.97 ERA) vs. RHP Clarke Schmidt (2-6, 4.96 ERA)