Second match up of the season for the AL East rivals. Masahiro Tanaka pitching for the first time this season after getting hit in the head by a comebacker on July 4.
Red Sox get a hit early with a single by Kevin Pillar that scoots by DJ LeMahieu into right field. But that’s all Tanaka will allow in the first inning. Aaron Judge blasts another home run to put the Yanks on the board with a 455 foot shot to the left field bleachers. This was his first time hitting a home run in four straight games. He had three in a row five times.
Bottom of the second inning. New York loads the bases with Gary Sanchez’s first hit of the year. Gio Urshela would bring them all home with his first grand slam of his career, just barely making it into monument park. Yankees lead 5-0.
Third inning. Tanaka allows a walk to Andrew Benintendi and a single to Pillar before Xander Bogaerts doubles, allowing a run to score. A catching error by Gleyber Torres would allow Pillar to score. Boston playing catch up 5-2 Yankees. However, Tanaka would leave the game after throwing about 50 pitches.
Yankees would threaten to add to their lead in the bottom of the fourth with the bases loaded and two outs. Torres would fly out to leave them that way.
Red Sox would threaten to tie in the top of the ninth, but could not convert. Yankees win 5-2.
The teams will play each other once more on Sunday.
MLB clarified the Yankees schedule for next week. The postponed games the Phillies will occur Monday through Thursday. The game against the Orioles will be rescheduled, and there will be a double header against the Rays on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Covid-19 has made it’s way to the Central Division with the Cardinals and Brewers games being postponed due to positive tests of Cardinals’ players and staff.
