Aroldis Chapman Blows The Save As Boston Beats New York

One mistake by a pitcher one swing of a bat can change the game and that's what happened Sunday in the finale as New York lost to their American League East rival Boston. 

The Red Sox enjoyed a glimpse of their bright future on Sunday evening as Rafael Devers cracked a dramatic, game-tying home run and Andrew Benintendi delivered the go-ahead hit, lifting Boston to a thrilling 3-2 victory in 10 innings over the Yankees that swelled their American League East lead to a season-high 5 1/2 games. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

Devers tied the game in the ninth inning with the fourth homer of his young career, catching up with a 102.8-mph Aroldis Chapman fastball and driving it over into the visiting bullpen in left-center field. It marked New York's 20th blown save of the season and just the second homer that Chapman has ever allowed to a left-handed hitter. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

"I was thinking hit the ball up the middle, but you can't plan a home run," said Devers, who joined Luke Scott (2011) as the only lefties to homer off Chapman. "Obviously he's an All-Star, but I didn't know the stat. I just go about every at-bat the same." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

The 102.8-mph heater was the fastest pitch hit for a home run since MLB began officially tracking velocity in 2008. Benintendi's RBI single off Tommy Kahnle drove in Jackie Bradley Jr., who was plunked by Chapman (4-2) on an 0-2 fastball with one out. It was the ninth RBI of the three-game set for Benintendi, who extended his hitting streak to seven games. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

"He's had a huge series," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "He's been right man, right spot, bases loaded, and what was beautiful was he lays off a couple of really tough hard sliders from Kahnle and gets a fastball for a line-drive base hit." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

Todd Frazier had given the Yanks their first lead of the evening in the eighth, lifting a sacrifice fly off Matt Barnes. David Robertson worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings and Dellin Betances blanked Boston in the eighth before Chapman blew his fourth save. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

"I have high expectations of myself," Chapman said through an interpreter. "The last couple of outings haven't been what I would like them to be. You definitely feel bad when you lose a game. You put that on your shoulders." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

Living up to the hype under the bright lights of a national television broadcast, Chris Sale settled for a no-decision despite a 12-strikeout effort that made him the first Boston hurler since Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez in 2001 to ring up three consecutive starts of 10 or more whiffs against the Yankees. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

"It's big," said Sale. "Anytime you can come up here and win a series in this division this late in the year, it's big. Like I said before, we know where we're at, we know what we need to do, we know the task at hand. We're just grinding every day.""according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

Austin Romine accounted for the only run off Sale with the first triple of his big league career, a fifth-inning line drive that clanged off the glove of right fielder Mookie Betts as he leapt against the wall. Sale allowed four hits and walked two in the no-decision. Craig Kimbrel (4-0) picked up the win with 1 1/3 innings of relief. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

One day after being hit in the head by a batting practice fly ball, Yankees rookie left-hander Jordan Montgomery stood tall against Sale, holding the Red Sox to Bradley's fifth-inning RBI single and one other hit over 5 1/3 innings. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

"Every loss is tough, especially how we were battling tonight, fighting, going up against Chris Sale -- the best pitcher in the game right now," Aaron Judge said. "It was a grind. We just weren't able to come up with it in the end." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

 By the time the bottom of the ninth inning started, Farrell still hadn't deployed All-Star closer Kimbrel in this three-game series. With the potential winning run on second with one out, Farrell initially wanted Kimbrel to face Jacoby Ellsbury. But home-plate umpire Laz Diaz reminded Farrell that a move was not allowed because pitching coach Carl Willis had come to the mound earlier in the at-bat. Addison Reed got Ellsbury on a grounder, and Farrell then went to his man. Kimbrel struck out Brett Gardner to end the ninth and then picked up the win with a 1-2-3 10th. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

"In the ninth inning, I messed up. I know the rule, I messed up trying to get Kimbrel into the game, but it worked out," said Farrell. "We matched up, we got outs when we needed. It was a big win, to finish out a road series win." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

Kimbrel lowered his ERA to 1.44 on the season. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

 Betts' reaction immediately after Romine's fifth-inning triple suggested that he believed the ball should have been caught, a drive to the right field wall that he camped under but was unable to put away as he timed his leap, the ball caroming off the heel of his glove. The ball came off Romine's bat at 96.8 mph and had a catch probability of 93 percent, according to Statcast™. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

"Honestly, I just missed it," said Betts. "It felt great that your teammates picked you up but in that situation that can't happen." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

This was the 16th time Sale has racked up double-digit strikeouts this season, the most since Hall of Famer Randy Johnson did it 23 times in 2001. Pedro Martinez holds the Red Sox record with 19 double-digit strikeout games in 1999. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248275352/red-sox-rookies-lead-win-over-yankees/

As for Aroldis Champman outing, 

The third pitch of Aroldis Chapman's ninth-inning showdown with Rafael Devers zipped toward home plate at 102.1 mph, and the Red Sox rookie barely made contact, tipping it foul. The next fastball came in just a little bit hotter, and it never made it to catcher Gary Sanchez's glove. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248277976/aroldis-chapman-takes-loss-with-4th-blown-save/

Chapman jerked his neck and watched that heater rocket into the visiting bullpen, the fastest pitch cracked for a home run since MLB began officially tracking velocity in 2008. It was the fourth blown save in 19 chances for Chapman, who took the loss in the Yankees' 3-2, 10-inning setback vs. Boston on Sunday. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248277976/aroldis-chapman-takes-loss-with-4th-blown-save/

"I have high expectations of myself," Chapman said. "The last couple of outings haven't been what I would like them to be. You definitely feel bad when you lose a game. You put that on your shoulders." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248277976/aroldis-chapman-takes-loss-with-4th-blown-save/

Though manager Joe Girardi quickly reiterates that Chapman "is my closer," the Yanks fell 5 1/2 games back in the American League East race as Devers became just the second left-handed batter to homer off the flamethrower, joining Luke Scott, who did it for the Orioles back on June 26, 2011. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248277976/aroldis-chapman-takes-loss-with-4th-blown-save/

"It's a frustrating loss. There's no doubt about it," Girardi said. 'We were in position to win. I actually thought Chappy in the ninth threw the ball really well. He made a mistake. It happens. I thought his stuff was really good tonight. He made one mistake that cost us." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248277976/aroldis-chapman-takes-loss-with-4th-blown-save/

In the 10th, Chapman drilled Jackie Bradley Jr. with an 0-2 fastball, and that accounted for the deciding run when Bradley scored on Andrew Benintendi's RBI single off Tommy Kahnle. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248277976/aroldis-chapman-takes-loss-with-4th-blown-save/

Chapman has now allowed runs in 10 of his 36 appearances this season, including four of six outings against the Red Sox. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248277976/aroldis-chapman-takes-loss-with-4th-blown-save/

"The key here is to keep fighting," Chapman said. "You've got to keep fighting. We've got to keep our heads up and keep fighting.""according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248277976/aroldis-chapman-takes-loss-with-4th-blown-save/

The Yankees believed that adding Kahnle and David Robertson prior to the non-waiver Trade Deadline would bolster a bullpen that has now blown 20 saves as a unit, second in the Majors only to the Mariners (22). "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248277976/aroldis-chapman-takes-loss-with-4th-blown-save/

"I think that can be a misleading number," Girardi said, referencing blown saves that are recorded in innings earlier than the ninth. "It sounds like it's 20 in the ninth. That would be an issue." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248277976/aroldis-chapman-takes-loss-with-4th-blown-save/

Still, Chapman has been a weak link of late. His last three appearances have been eventful, beginning with an Aug. 5 save at Cleveland in which Girardi thought he looked "rusty." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248277976/aroldis-chapman-takes-loss-with-4th-blown-save/

In Friday's game against Boston, Chapman walked the bases loaded before Aaron Hicks' arm bailed him out with a double play that nailed Eduardo Nunez at third base. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248277976/aroldis-chapman-takes-loss-with-4th-blown-save/

Yankees infielder Chase Headley said that he does not believe Chapman looks markedly different than he did last year when he posted a 2.01 ERA and 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings in 31 appearances before being traded to the Cubs. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248277976/aroldis-chapman-takes-loss-with-4th-blown-save/

"Sometimes you have to tip your cap," Headley said. "It's 102 mph, and the guy hits an opposite-field homer over 399 [feet]. It's an impressive swing. I'll take my chances with him out there. We've got his back. He's going through a little bit of a rough patch but that's part of baseball. He's going to get out of it. I have no doubt." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/248277976/aroldis-chapman-takes-loss-with-4th-blown-save/

With the loss, New York drops to 61-55 and is now 5.5 games back of their American League East rival Boston who is leading the division and with the win improves to 67-50 on the season. 

New York will return to action  Monday for the first of four games as they start the subway series as they play four games against the Mets that include the first two games at Yankee Stadium before heading over to Citi Field for the last two games. 

Right -hander Luis Cessa will be on the mound for the team from the Bronx  He has a record of 0-3 with a 4.83 earn run average. He is starting in place of the injured Masahiro Tanaka against the Mets  Cessa has made four starts this season, and has allowed 14 runs (12) earned in his 17 1/3 innings (6.23 earn run average) as a starter. He will take on Mets right -hander Rafael Montero who has a record of 1-8 with a 6.06 earn run average. Manager Terry Collins admitted that the Mets have few rotation options left beyond Montero, who is 0-4 with a 6.48 earn run average since the start of July. That will change once Matt Harvey and others return, but for now, Montero retains the starting spot. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/mets-vs-yankees/2017/08/14/491869#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=491869

First pitch is set for 7:05 pm. The game will be televised on ESPN. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/mets-vs-yankees/2017/08/14/491869#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=491869

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