The Yankees used an eighth-inning rally to come back and beat the Boston Red Sox 4-3 on Saturday at Fenway Park.
Here are some key takeaways …
– Things did not start well on the mound for Jameson Taillon. The very first batter he faced, Kiké Hernandez, slammed a ball off the wall in left-center, and as he hustled into third, Rougned Odor’s throw sailed into the dugout, allowing Hernandez to score and make it 1-0 one batter into the game.
– The bottom of the second inning didn’t provide much relief for Taillon either, as J.D. Martinez and Kevin Plawecki ripped doubles to double the Boston lead to 2-0. Then, in the third, Odor committed his second error of the game to put Jarren Duran in scoring position, and he’d come around to score on a Rafael Devers sac fly to make it 3-0 Boston.
Taillon didn’t get great defense behind him, but he battled through seven innings, allowing three runs (just one earned) on four hits, striking out four and walking three.
– Meanwhile, former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi was absolutely dealing. Through his first five innings, Eovaldi was a strike-throwing machine, as he found the strike zone with 45 of his first 53 pitches, allowing just three hits during that span. Eovaldi was simply masterful through the first seven innings, but the eighth would be a different story …
– DJ LeMahieu doubled high of the Green Monster in the top of the sixth inning, making it 34 straight games that he’s reached base. LeMahieu’s on-base streak is the longest in the majors this season. LeMahieu would be left stranded at second.
-The Yankees offense finally came to life in the eighth. Estevan Florial doubled to get things started, and after Eovaldi got the next two outs, Brett Gardner singled to right on an 0-2 pitch to make it a 3-1 game. After Eovaldi was pulled for Adam Ottavino, Giancarlo Stanton blooped a ground-rule double to put runners at second and third, and Odor made up for his defensive woes with a two-run double off the Monster to tie the game. Next up, Gleyber Torres dunked a single into right to amazingly put the Yankees up 4-3.
– After Jonathan Loaisiga pitched a scoreless eighth inning, Rob Brantly appeared to forget how many outs there were in the top of the ninth, as he was doubled off first on a routine fly ball to end the inning.
The Yankees then turned to Aroldis Chapman in a one-run game. Chapman walked Hunter Renfroe with two outs and Christian Vazquez blooped a ground-rule double to right to put runners at second and third with two outs. With the winning run on base, Hernandez went down swinging, as Chapman picked up the save.
Highlights
What’s next
The Yankees will look to split the series wit the Sox on Sunday, with first pitch set for 1:10 p.m.
Domingo German will face Boston lefty Martin Perez.