Game 23 : The temperature was in the 40s, but the reception Alex Rodriguez received at Fenway Park was much colder. Pinch-hitting in the top of the 7th, A-Rod ended the non-stop booing by depositing a Junichi Tazawa 3-0 fastball over the Green Monster, snapping the 2-2 tie and tying Willie Mays for 4th place on the all-time home run list.
The 3-2 victory improved New York’s record to an AL East-leading 14-9, with an 11-3 run underway in their last 14 games. Not a bad recovery from a 1-4 start of the 2015 campaign.
After the 3-game series in Fenway, the schedule continues against division rivals with 3 games in Toronto, 4 at home with Baltimore, and 4 in Tampa.
Here’s the box score, full recap, and video highlights.
Yankees 3, Red Sox 2
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- A-Rod ‘Natch. It was the first pinch hit HR in his career, and only the third time he went deep being green-lighted on a 3-0 count.
“Congratulations to Alex Rodriguez on his 660th home run. Milestones in baseball are meant to be broken and I wish him continued success throughout his career,” — Wille Mays
- CC Sabathia The Big Man did not have his best stuff tonight, but fought through a tough lineup in a bandbox of a ballpark. He didn’t get the ‘W’, but kept the Yanks in the game. His line included 7 innings, 110 pitches – 69 for strikes, 2 ER, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts — lowering his ERA to 5.40 in the process.
- Jacoby Ellsbury A run-saving catch in the 2nd inning, and a 2-5 night at the plate raising his BA to .326
- The Bullpen It’s feeling like the late 1990s — opponents better get to the starting pitcher, ’cause if the Yanks have a lead in the 7th, fuggitabout it. Tonight it was Esmil Rogers (who got the win), Dellin Betances, and Andrew Miller who locked it down for New York. The upside tonight was the starter went a full 7 innings, avoiding another 12+ outs demanded from the ‘pen. With Nathan Eovaldi‘s start tomorrow, it is important for him to get deeper in the game than previous outings.
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- RISP 2-11. Thank goodness for quality starts and a lockdown bullpen, huh?
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