In the opening game of today’s doubleheader, the Yankees just didn’t show up. They were shutout, while the pitching and defense had some shaky moments, leading to less that stellar loss. However with another game to play, they had a chance to quickly bounce back, and — credit to them — the Yankees did that.
In his first start back off the injured list, Fried went just over 60 pitches, which ended up being 3.2 innings. He gave up one run on three hits and a walk, while striking out four. It was a perfectly
good outing for someone going for the first time in a couple weeks.
However, the story in this one was more about the Yankees’ offense actually putting in a good shift. In total, they ended up recording 13 hits, all of which were just singles. The difference was that they managed to actually string them together, allowing them to score nine runs for the game. Nine runs ended up being plenty, as they rebounded to split the doubleheader and pick up a 9-2 win over the Red Sox.
Despite the win, early on, it seemed like this game might follow a similar path to the first one. Immediately after the Yankees couldn’t cash in with runners in scoring position in the second, the Red Sox scored. Nick Sogard led off the third inning with a homer off Fried.
However, the Yankees then immediately struck back, scoring more runs in the bottom of the third than they had in their last couple games. José Caballero led off the inning with a single, and Trent Grisham followed with a walk. Ben Rice then popped in a single to get the Yankees on the board.
After Heliot Ramos was hit by a pitch, a couple productive outs gave the Yankees the lead. A Luis García Jr. grounder left the Red Sox only with a force out at second, bringing home one run. Jazz Chisholm Jr. added a sacrifice fly in the following at-bat, bringing home another run.
George Lombard Jr. flew out in the next at-bat to end the inning, but also ended his own day. Lombard did not come back out for the following inning, with Caballero shifting over to shortstop and Amed Rosario coming into the game. The reason was revealed to be right knee discomfort, and he’s set to undergo further testing.
After walking the lead-off hitter in the fourth, Fried got the next two outs. With Fried sitting at 63 pitches in his first start back off the injured list, Aaron Boone then came out to get him and go to the bullpen. Yerry De los Santos came in and got a strikeout to end the frame.
The offense picked up another run in the sixth. García and Rosario both recorded singles and then later combined for a double steal to get to second and third respectively. That steal put García in position to score on a Spencer Jones sacrifice fly, which came on the 10th pitch of an impressive at-bat from the youngster.
Having relieved Fried mid-inning, De los Santos got another couple outs before handing things over to Michael Fulmer. He got one out, but worked himself into some trouble, which Paul Blackburn did well to get out of. Tim Hill put in a scoreless frame as well.
Brent Headrick was brought in for the eighth, but he ran into some trouble. After getting the first out, Headrick allowed a double to Wilyer Abreu and then an RBI triple to Willson Contreras that got deep into the right field corner. He got the next two outs though, stranding Contreras, and keeping the damage to just one run.
The Yankees got that run back and several more as insurance in the bottom of the eighth, though. They got some help as a high, catchable Cody Bellinger popup fell in between a couple Red Sox in shallow right field. A García then gave the Yankees runners at the corners, and a Rosario single brought home a run. Following another defensive miscue — this one on Contreras at first — loaded the bases, an Austin Wells jam shot then also managed to bloop in for a hit. That score another two runs. Another couple hits led to Ben Rice singling to plate two more runs as the Bombers batted around for the inning.
That inning also allowed the Yankees to turn to call-up Brendan Beck for the ninth. He threw an easy 1-2-3 frame to seal the victory.
The Yankees will wrap up their series with Boston and the homestand tomorrow at 1:35 PM ET. Will Warren and Ranger Suarez are expected to get the start in that one. This game will have an extra layer of meaning baked in, as it will decide who wins the season series. That will be the tiebreaker should the two teams end up all even at the end of the regular season.
Box score
