FINAL: New York Yankees 8, Red Sox 1 - Verdugo Tallies Four RBI in Return to Boston

The Red Sox (35-35) go back to .500 with an 8-1 loss against the New York Yankees (50-22).

The Sox could muster only five hits tonight, with the lone extra base hit and run being an RBI double from Enmanuel Valdez in the fourth inning. They fanned 14 times in this one, with Tyler O'Neill striking out four times. Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran, Dominic Smith, and Ceddane Rafaela all struck out twice. Alex Verdugo had a good revenge game, hitting a two run home run in the top of the first, as well as an RBI double in the fifth and an RBI single in the ninth.

Brayan Bello had another tough outing, pitching only four and two thirds innings. He gave up five runs on six hits and walked three as well. On the plus side, he had five strikeouts to boost his performance. Cam Booser pitched a third of an inning, with Zack Kelly and Chase Anderson pitching two innings each. Anderson would give up three runs in the top of the ninth to cement the Yankees win.

My Player of the Game: Zack Kelly - Kelly pitched two innings of perfect baseball, and he struck out the side in the top of the fifth inning. A lone bright spot for the Sox tonight.

Tomorrow's game will be a 7:15 p.m. start, with the probable starters for that one being Carlos Rodon (9-2, 2.93 ERA) and Cooper Criswell (3-3, 4.13 ERA). 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  _________________________________

WHO: New York Yankees (49-22) at Red Sox (35-34)
WHEN: 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
SERIES TO DATE: 0-0, 9-4 in 2023
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Luis Gil (8-1, 2.04 ERA) vs. RHP Brayan Bello (6-3, 4.78 ERA)
TV/RADIO: NESN, MLB Network, WEEI-FM 93.7

LIVE BOX

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Jarren Duran LF
David Hamilton SS
Tyler O'Neill RF
Rafael Devers 3B
Masataka Yoshida DH
Connor Wong C
Enmanuel Valdez 2B
Dominic Smith 1B
Ceddanne Rafaela CF

SP Brayan Bello

OPPONENT

Anthony Volpe SS
Juan Soto LF
Aaron Judge CF
Alex Verdugo RF
Giancarlo Stanton DH
Anthony Rizzo 1B
Gleyber Torres 2B
Oswaldo Cabrera 3B
Jose Trevino C

SP Luis Gil

WHAT'S UP

The Red Sox defeated the Phillies in last night's series finale, 9-3. BOS improved to 5-2 in rubber games (4-0 at home). The Sox hit a season-high 7 doubles, their most since 7/8/23 at OAK (also 7). Tyler O'Neill hit a 3-run HR in the 4th inning...Jarren Duran went 2-for-4 with a run scored, 2 doubles, and 2 RBI. Tanner Houck earned his MLB-leading 12th quality start...He retired 7 of his final 8 batters faced following a 3-run double in the 4th inning (6.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 5 SO, HB).

The Red Sox and Yankees tonight will meet for their 1st of 13 games this season...BOS will play 9 of its next 36 games (25%) against NYY, through 7/28. The Sox went 9-4 vs. the Yankees in 2023, including a 7-game winning streak from 6/11-8/20. Each of their 4 losses to NYY were by 3 runs or fewer. The Sox' 2.69 ERA (35 ER/117.0 IP) vs. NYY last season was their 2nd-lowest against the club in the Divisional Era (since 1969; 1st: 2.05 in 1973)...Boston's +28 run differential (67-39) was its 5th-largest in a season series vs. NYY in that span, and largest since 2013 (+35).

The Red Sox are tied for the MLB lead in triples (20, also DET)...They rank T-3rd in XBH (217), 5th in SLG (.413), and T-5th in doubles (123). Boston ranks among the AL's top 5 in OBP (3rd, .319), AVG (4th, .250), SLG (4th, .413), and OPS (4th, .732). The Sox have scored more than 5 runs in 5 of their last 8 games and 7 of their last 12, since 5/31, after doing so in just 5 of their previous 26 games from 5/2-30.

Rafael Devers leads MLB third basemen in SLG (.559), OPS (.937), and wRC+ (155), while ranking 2nd in AVG (.286) and OBP (.378), and T-2nd in HR (13). Overall, he ranks 6th in the AL in OBP, SLG and OPS.

Among outfielders, Jarren Duran ranks T4th in MLB in fWAR (2.7)...He ranks 2nd among the group in DRS (10), and T-6th in assists (4; T-3rd in AL). Duran leads MLB in triples (10)...He ranks 2nd in the AL in doubles (20), 4th in XBH (35), 6th in SB (15), and T-6th in hits (77). In 11 June games, he's batting .370 with a 1.118 OPS, 13 runs scored, and 4 SB (17-for-46, 4 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 7 BB).

Romy Gonzalez began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester last night at Buffalo...He started as the DH and went 1-for-2 and drew an RBI walk. Gonzalez has missed 10 games (since 5/31) with a left hamstring strain.