New York Takes Inaugural Game In London As They Beat Boston

There is a first time for everything and for the first time there was a Major League Baseball game played in London between the two American League East rivals

Aaron Hicks grinned broadly as he rounded the bases in the first inning on Saturday, having slugged the first Major League home run hit on European soil. That blast capped a six-run inning for the Yankees, and they weren’t even close to being finished. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-in-london-slugfest

Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge also cleared the fences, while DJ LeMahieu collected four hits and drove in five runs in an unforgettable 17-13 slugfest victory over the Red Sox at London Stadium, marking the opening game of the London Series.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-in-london-slugfest

Neither starter was able to complete the first inning, as the Yankees tagged Rick Porcello for six runs and five hits, with Porcello recording only one out. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-in-london-slugfest

Luke Voit drilled a run-scoring double, one of his four hits before leaving the game with a core muscle injury, Netherlands-born Didi Gregorius pounded a two-run double and Edwin Encarnacion doubled home another run before Hicks slugged a 386-foot blast into the Boston bullpen in right-center field. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-in-london-slugfest

The Red Sox responded against Masahiro Tanaka, who permitted six runs on four hits and was chased by Michael Chavis’ three-run homer over the batter’s eye in center field. Rafael Devers, Christian Vazquez and Brock Holt also drove in runs off Tanaka, who walked two and recorded two outs in his 37-pitch appearance. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-in-london-slugfest

New York reclaimed the lead in the third inning on Gardner’s two-run homer off Steven Wright, then pulled away with a six-run fourth that was highlighted by LeMahieu’s three-run double and Judge’s 375-foot, two-run homer to right field.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-in-london-slugfest

Chad Green and David Hale combined for three scoreless innings to quiet the Boston bats, and New York scored another three runs in the fifth, two of which were driven in by LeMahieu. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-in-london-slugfest

With the win, New York improves to 53-28 and maintains their lead in the American League East.

Meanwhile Boston was on the other end of the spectrum as they lost the opening game of the two game series in London.

Red Sox rookie Michael Chavis embraced the big stage of the inaugural London Series by unloading for a pair of three-run homers on Saturday. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/michael-chavis-two-homers-london-red-sox-lose

Unfortunately for Boston, that impressive power display by the right-handed-hitting masher wasn’t enough to offset the constant barrage of offense from the Yankees, who smashed their way to a 17-13 victory at London Stadium.”according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/michael-chavis-two-homers-london-red-sox-lose

As the rivals played MLB’s first-ever game in London, the British fans experienced an old-fashioned slugfest.”according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/michael-chavis-two-homers-london-red-sox-lose

The Yankees scored six in the top of the first inning to knock out Rick Porcello. Remarkably, the Red Sox then matched it with six in the bottom of the first, a rally that was capped by the three-run equalizer that Chavis mauled to center against Masahiro Tanaka. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/michael-chavis-two-homers-london-red-sox-lose

The six RBIs for the 23-year-old Chavis were a career high. The two homers totaled 835 feet of total projected distance, according to Statcast.”according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/michael-chavis-two-homers-london-red-sox-lose

Porcello retired just one of the seven batters he faced and was lifted after 33 pitches. Of the 324 starts Porcello has made in his career, this is the only one in which he was only able to get one out. It was Porcello’s shortest outing since 2013, when he got two outs in a loss to the Angels. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/michael-chavis-two-homers-london-red-sox-lose

The Yankees scored two in the third, six in the fourth and three more in the fifth to build a commanding 17-6 lead. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/michael-chavis-two-homers-london-red-sox-lose

But the Boston bats got a second wind, getting a solo shot from Jackie Bradley Jr. in the sixth, and then a six-run rally in the seventh that suddenly trimmed New York’s edge to four runs. Chavis again was the catalyst in the big rally with his second three-run shot. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/michael-chavis-two-homers-london-red-sox-lose

With the loss, Boston drops to 44-39 on the season and is now ten games back of New York in the American League East standings.

The two American League East rivals will conclude their series in London on Sunday at London Stadium