The Boston Red Sox (26-11) have averted a sweep in the New York Yankees (26-11) with a 5-4 win in the Bronx. A late home run by J.D. Martinez brought the decision so that both rivals lead the American League East together.
In the eighth inning, Martinez hit a high but not very wide fly ball that just missed Right Fielder Aaron Judge’s glove in a fan’s glove – home run, 5-4 Red Sox. It should be the final score.
“It probably wouldn’t have been a home run in any other ballpark,” said Betances (2 IP, ER, 3 SO). The numbers proved him right: According to Statcast, the home run had a hit probability of 28 percent. Martinez said to his Long Ball: “I blew, prayed and actually did everything to push the ball over the wall”.
Previously, the Yankees, who were 4-0 down to the seventh inning, had equalized the score with a strong rally in the seventh. Brett Gardner opened with a bases-loaded walk, then Judge hit an RBI single, Didi Gregorius hit an RBI Fielder’s choice and Gardner scored the run in compensation for a wild pitch by Reliever Joe Kelly.
The game was interrupted for 55 minutes after the fourth inning due to rain, which also shortened the day for both starters. Eduardo Rodriguez pitched five innings (H, 3 BB, 8 SO), while CC Sabathia brought together only four innings for New York (9 H, 4 ER, 5 SO). The latter wanted to get out again, but “I am old now. So that was not an option,” Sabathia told reporters.
Best man at Boston, however, alongside Martinez (1-4, 2 RBI) was designated hitter Hanley Ramirez, who came on three RBI and hit a home run in the fifth inning.
Not only did the Red Sox avert a Yankee sweep with this victory, they were the first team to hold the Bronx Bombers since May 2017 without a single extra basehit. It was also their second defeat in the last 19 games.
All results of the night you will find in our new MLB Scoreboard.
This article was published without previous view by the Major League Baseball.