New York Sweeps Boston Sending Their Rival To An Eighth Straight Loss

A week ago it was Boston who won the first three games of the series at Fenway Park before New York salvaged a game in the finale.

Fast forward a week later when Boston was visiting the Bronx New York who is leading the American League East swept Boston who is now 14.5 games back of their rival in the standings.

Aaron Judge hit his first home run in more than two weeks and Gio Urshela tagged a two-run shot as part of a six-run third inning, leading the Yankees to a 7-4 victory. With the win, the Bombers secured a four-game series sweep of the Red Sox, their first since August 6-9, 2009. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

"It's what we're supposed to do, being a first-place team," Judge said. "We just went out there and took care of business. It doesn't matter who we're playing. First-place, second-place, third-place team, we're going to go out there and take care of business. That's what we did." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

One week after the Yankees dropped three of four games in a lopsided set at Fenway Park, New York improved to 8-1 against the Red Sox at home this year, reaching a season-high 33 games over .500 (72-39). As the Yanks eye their first American League East title since 2012, their lead over the defending World Series champs is 14 1/2 games, with the Rays residing eight back. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

“A sweep is hard against any team, especially a four-game sweep, and especially against these guys," starter J.A. Happ said. "Any time you can put a little distance between teams in our division, it’s huge. We played well here." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

As the Yankees blasted the 1976 Boston hit “More Than A Feeling” in their fog-filled clubhouse, the 2019 Bostonians boarded their buses having absorbed an eighth consecutive loss. Price was unable to retire the final seven Yanks he faced, trudging to the visiting dugout having recorded eight outs, charged with seven runs and nine hits. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

The big inning

Price had two outs and a runner at first base in the third inning, when everything unraveled for the former Cy Young Award winner. Urshela cracked his 12th homer over the left-field wall before Brett Gardner and Cameron Maybin drilled back-to-back doubles, producing another run. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

Rookie Mike Ford smacked a run-scoring single to center field and Kyle Higashioka doubled, setting up Mike Tauchman's two-run single to right. A walk to Gleyber Torres drew manager Alex Cora from the third-base dugout, and Price walked off to a derisive standing ovation from a healthy portion of the 47,267 in attendance. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

“I’ve faced them a lot," Price said. "I’ve just got to learn something different. It’s a good hitting team. They put the ball in play, they hit it hard. They make it tough on me.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

Price is 1-7 with a 9.61 ERA in eight Yankee Stadium starts since joining the Red Sox prior to the 2016 season. His lone victory came this June 2.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

Happ-y Father's Day

Both starters returned from the paternity list for Sunday's game, but Happ enjoyed his evening more, limiting Boston to four runs and seven hits over 5 2/3 innings. The start came three days after Happ and his wife, Morgan, welcomed their third child, a daughter. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

“I was fortunate to be able to address our guys real quick after the game," Happ said. "I said, 'Let’s keep the blinders on, man,' because there’s all the injuries, the Trade Deadline, performance … all these things going on outside that we try to ignore. I think we’ve done a good job of that." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

Happ blanked the Red Sox into the fifth, when Christian Vazquez and Michael Chavis slugged back-to-back homers. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

"I thought his conviction was good," manager Aaron Boone said. "He was pitching, which was good to see. They clipped him with the back-to-back homers, but he was on the attack I thought all night and dictating counts for the most part, which was really good to see." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

Boston made it a ballgame with two-out damage in the sixth, as J.D. Martinez singled, Sam Travis walked and a wild pitch advanced the runners before Andrew Benintendi stroked a two-run single up the middle. Luis Cessa was the unsung hero, hurling 2 1/3 hitless innings in relief. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

Black and blue

The sweep came at significant cost for the Yankees, who lost first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion (right wrist fracture) and outfielder Aaron Hicks (right flexor strain) to the injured list as a result of Saturday's doubleheader. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

As such, they feared the worst when Torres left in the eighth inning with what Boone described as "a core issue." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

Torres had tests at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and is traveling with the team for its series in Baltimore, as is Urshela, who fouled balls off of both legs during a bizarre sixth-inning sequence. Precautionary X-rays on Urshela were negative. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

"Next guy up. You just keep moving along," Judge said. "We've still got a job to do and a lot of season left to play; a lot of baseball to play in October." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-finish-4-game-sweep-of-red-sox

Meanwhile Boston continues to go in the wrong direction as they lost their eighth straight game.

The starting rotation for the defending World Series champions is a serious impediment in their postseason hopes. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

David Price was the latest starter to get roughed up, taking an 7-4 loss to the Yankees on Sunday Night Baseball. Boston’s longest losing streak since 2015 swelled to eight games. During the skid, the starting rotation is 0-6 with a 10.70 ERA. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

“It's been tough,” said Price. “Just for myself, the rest of our pitchers, our starters, it's been a tough stretch for us for sure. We haven't thrown the ball to our capabilities the last eight or nine games and for the most part of the season, and that's been tough for us." “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

For the season, the rotation is 37-39 with a 5.07 ERA. The numbers are striking, considering the rotation was viewed as the team’s biggest strength coming into the season. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

Even more striking is that the 59-55 Sox are now 14 1/2 games back in the American League East and 6 1/2 behind the Rays for the second AL Wild Card spot. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

“It wasn’t a good week,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “Not only the trip, but the whole week, so we’ve got a lot of work to do. We’re in a big hole, and obviously we’re very talented, but it didn’t go our way this week.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

The team’s last victory was eight days ago over the Yankees, a win that put Boston eight back in the division and a half-game ahead of the Rays in the Wild Card standings. The degree to which things have changed in the span of a week has been astounding. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

“We didn’t put games together. We had some close ones at home, but we didn’t finish them,” said Cora. “We didn’t pitch. Offensively, it’s been OK lately. We didn’t hit with runners in scoring position, and we didn’t put pressure on the opposition. So, overall, a horrible week.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

If there is to be a revival, it will have to start with the starters. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

To date, only Eduardo Rodriguez (13-5, 4.19 ERA) has been basically what you’d expect. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

Price was his team’s best starter through July 14, but he has a 10.59 ERA in his last four starts. In eight starts at Yankee Stadium since joining the Red Sox, Price is 1-7 with a 9.61 ERA. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

Ace Chris Sale has been almost unrecognizable compared to the rest of his career, going 5-11 with a 4.68 ERA. Rick Porcello, a Cy Young Award winner in 2016 and a stabilizing force in last year’s rotation, has a 5.74 ERA in 22 starts. Andrew Cashner was having a career year until the mid-July trade from Baltimore to Boston, after which he is 1-3 with a 6.94 ERA. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

“This team was built around the starting rotation, and we need to do better,” said Cora. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

At this point, Cora doesn’t really have any options as far as changing personnel in the rotation. Nathan Eovaldi was moved to the bullpen when he returned from the injured list, and he’s not stretched out to start. Brian Johnson, who came back from a prolonged absence to start Game 2 of the doubleheader on Saturday, is more of a spot starter. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

And, July 31 was the final Trade Deadline this season, so there’s nothing that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski can do. There are no prospects at Triple-A who would be poised to join the rotation at this point. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

“We trust these guys. We’re going to roll them out there and we’re going to keep working for them to make adjustments and get better,” said Cora. “We were talking about it earlier today during the game. It’s like, we roll 15 days in a row of good pitching, we know we can do it. We did it for seven days [a week ago] and you saw what happened. There’s no doubt in my mind these guys can turn it around.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

There’s also little doubt that they can’t wait any longer. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

“We know where we're at,” said Cora. “We’re going to go home and that Green Monster is going to remind us where we are. There’s no hiding. We know we’re talented and we can do it. It’s just a matter of start doing it now.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

With their 55th loss on Sunday, the Red Sox surpassed their total from last season. That serves as a reminder of both how ridiculously good the team was a year ago, and how dramatic the slippage has been so far in 2019. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

The one thing the Red Sox have going for them is they are just about fully healthy. They also have nearly every player back from the 2018 juggernaut, which only makes this season harder to figure out. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

“We have a very good team in this clubhouse -- 1 through 25, we have a very good team,” said Price. “Just some of us haven't had very good seasons up to this point. There's still [48] games to be played and there's still time." “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/david-price-struggles-as-red-sox-lose-in-sweep

New York will now hit the road for seven games where they will face two teams in their division starting in Baltimore Monday where they will play three games before heading to Canada where they will take on Toronto for four games.