New York Suffers Their Third Straight Loss To Boston At Fenway

Most people say that the third time is the charm but that wasn’t the case for New York who lost to their American League East rival Boston for the third straight time in the series at Fenway Park that is a four game series who is now in second place in the standings and eight games behind the team that dawns the pinstripes.

The Yankees’ charter jet touched down at Logan International Airport carrying a confident group, one that had spoken openly about hoping to end any realistic chance of the Red Sox re-emerging in the American League East chase. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

Twenty-seven innings later, the urgency has increased for general manager Brian Cashman to reinforce the pitching staff ahead of Wednesday’s Trade Deadline. CC Sabathia became the seventh consecutive starter to make an early exit on Saturday afternoon, chased in the fifth inning of New York's 9-5 loss at Fenway. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

"It’s frustrating," Sabathia said. "You want to pitch well. We know we have a good team over here, a great offense. We’ve been the reason we’ve been losing games, and we want to turn that around." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

This poor stretch has authored history for the Bombers, and not the brand they intend to celebrate: New York has now allowed seven or more runs in seven straight games for the first time in franchise history. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

Meanwhile, the Red Sox are hardly buried, having won five of six to move into the second AL Wild Card spot and second place in the AL East, a half-game ahead of the Rays. The defending World Series champions now reside eight games back in the division, a season-high 12 games over .500. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

"We know they're a great club and certainly capable of this kind of weekend when you're not playing at your best," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "It didn't take a few games for me to realize that." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

Cashman has been casting a wide net for pitching help, and though most industry voices believe that the Yankees can still add at least one starting pitcher before next week's Deadline, the lofty asking prices throughout the league have thus far not yielded a match. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

In the meantime, pitching coach Larry Rothschild said that he must guide the current group of starters out of the abyss. Yankees starters have now pitched to a 16.62 ERA (48 earned runs in 26 innings) over their last seven games, with New York dropping five of those contests. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

"This doesn't happen with just one thing," Rothschild said. "It's different things from different guys. First-pitch strikes and things like that haven't been good, and it's a bunch of different stuff that has been reviewed and talked about and tried to be corrected. It's been really tough on them, tough on the team. It's my responsibility to get it right." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

Saturday's contest opened on an encouraging note, as Sabathia retired the Red Sox in order in the first inning and Gio Urshela homered to deep center field off Eduardo Rodriguez in the second, offering New York its first lead of the series. Andrew Benintendi answered in the home half of the second, stroking a homer that sailed just inside Pesky’s Pole in right field. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

"I thought it was a foul ball," said right fielder Aaron Judge. "I really didn’t know what was going on. I saw it bounce back in and I was trying to get it back in as quick as I can, so I didn’t really get a good read on if it was fair or foul or what. It went to replay and it was a homer." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

In the fourth, Rafael Devers opened the inning with a single and J.D. Martinez unloaded a one-out rocket into the Green Monster seats for a two-run homer, granting Boston a lead it would not relinquish. Sabathia permitted three more hits in the inning, including a Michael Chavis RBI single. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

"I just left too many balls over the middle of the plate," Sabathia said. "With the stuff I have now, I've got to be pitching to the corners. There were a lot of balls over the plate." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

Given the state of the Yanks' taxed bullpen, which was worked heavily during a three-game series in Minnesota and has not received a break here in Boston, Boone and Rothschild hoped to push Sabathia through five innings. Back-to-back doubles by Devers and Xander Bogaerts with one out in the fifth ended that attempt. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

"When you go through this, those guys in the bullpen, we've tried to stay away from using them too much," Rothschild said. "Now we're into using guys that we'd rather use with leads and tie games just to get through games. It's a catch-22 right now." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

Boston pulled away with four runs charged to Chad Green. Urshela provided a highlight for the road team by collecting the first four-hit game of his career, but even that came with a dash of concern: Urshela rolled his right ankle on an eighth-inning double, though he expects to play on Sunday. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

In the larger picture, Boone acknowledged that adjustments must be made, but he also cautioned that it is important to not overreact. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

"Obviously it's been a tough weekend for us so far, but I say all the time, it's inevitable you're going to get punched in the mouth in a Major League season," Boone said. "We'll be up to the challenge." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yanks-lose-third-straight-game-to-red-sox

Meanwhile Boston won yet another game and in the process moved in to second in the division standing that puts them eight games of their rival and puts Tampa Bay who was behind in the standing for a lot of the season in third place.

For months, the Red Sox tried to get to the point where they felt at home in their own home. Perplexingly, they had a hard time taking care of business in their cozy little ballpark on Lansdowne Street. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

Suddenly, it is all coming together for the defending World Series champions at a place that now feels like friendly Fenway again. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

By taking it to the Yankees for the third straight day and scoring a 9-5 victory on Saturday, the Sox moved to eight games behind their rivals in the American League East and are now in possession of the second AL Wild Card spot, vaulting a half-game ahead of the Rays. On Sunday night, the Red Sox will go for the four-game sweep behind ace Chris Sale that could make the division race interesting again. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

We know we’re chasing them,” said Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts. “Obviously the lead was big, but I think it’s getting down there and the mindset is the series is tied and try to win the series tomorrow. That’s the good mindset to have. [Act like] they won one, we won one and whoever wins tomorrow wins the series.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

In truth, the Red Sox have already won the series, and the Yankees have lost one for the first time since June 7-9 at Cleveland. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

"We're hitting the ball well. We're playing well right now,” said slugger J.D. Martinez, who aided Saturday’s effort by mauling a go-ahead two-run homer to left in the fourth inning. “It's been a good last two series. But I don't like to look too far into things. Just gotta keep chugging away. There's still a lot of ground to make up and a lot of baseball to be played." “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

After a loss to the Dodgers on July 14, Boston was 21-24 at home, which included two defeats to the Yankees in London. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

Since that point, they have ripped off six wins in their last seven at Fenway Park, and the surge has come at the perfect time. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

“Always feels good to be playing better here,” said Martinez. “I mean, we struggled here so it's good." “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

Home or road, the Red Sox have turned it around. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

The talk that Boston could become sellers by Wednesday’s Trade Deadline has all but vanished, as the team has played its most inspiring baseball of the season this week. It started by taking two out of three at Tropicana Field against the Rays and has continued in a big way during this extended rivalry weekend. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

What have these last three days told the Red Sox about themselves? “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

“That we’re good just like them,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “We have a good offense. I think like I said yesterday, the last two days, the difference between us now and earlier in the season is hitting with men in scoring position, putting good at-bats.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

And when they do that, their home park starts to look small in a hurry. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

Andrew Benintendi took advantage of Fenway in the best way possible when he lofted a harmless-looking pop fly to right for a solo homer just inside of Pesky’s Pole to tie it at 1 in the bottom of the second. At a projected distance of 310 feet, it was the shortest homer in MLB this season. The drive, if you want to call it that, had an exit velocity of 87.7 mph and an expected batting average of .010, per Statcast. That is called using the home field to your advantage. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

Bogaerts did the same thing when he lofted an 88.9 mph RBI double off veteran lefty CC Sabathia that clanged off the Green Monster after traveling a modest 334 feet. That one carried an expected batting average of .060. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

There were also some authoritative knocks, particularly the rocket by Martinez that soared over the Monster with impressive Statcast metrics (109.5 mph, 432 feet). “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

The hits are coming in bunches, as the Sox are pounding the baseball to every corner of Fenway. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

“It's always a good time when you're hitting the ball and it's flying everywhere," said Martinez. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

While the hitting has been getting all the headlines and the highlight reels, Boston’s starting pitching is in the midst of its best stretch of the season. Eduardo Rodriguez earned the win on Saturday, allowing three runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings. He came an out away from giving the Sox their seventh straight game with a starting pitcher going six innings or more. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

After an exhausting three-game series of slugfests in Minneapolis in which they won two out of three, the Yankees have taken a nosedive this weekend in Boston. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

The Red Sox have enjoyed the opportunity to take it to them, considering that New York had won six of the first seven games between the teams this season before this weekend -- with none of those games being played in Boston. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

If you think Boston is carrying itself with a different swagger at the moment, you’d be right. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

“It’s fun,” said Bogaerts. “I think everyone has noticed that. Lots of guys contributing up and down the lineup. Pitching is doing good. Defense is doing good. Pinch-hits, clutch at-bats all over -- it’s been really fun these last couple days, especially against these guys.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

Though Yankees manager Aaron Boone would have preferred a better outcome this weekend, he isn’t surprised that the Red Sox are performing up to expectations again. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

“They didn't have to do anything the last three days,” Boone said. “We know they're a great club and certainly capable of this kind of weekend when you're not playing at your best. It didn't take a few games for me to realize that.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-heating-up-at-home-beat-yankees-again

New York and Boston will finish their four game series on Sunday night at Fenway Park.