BOSTON (AP) — Pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland hit a two-run single in Boston’s four-run seventh inning and the Red Sox rallied to beat the New York Yankees 9-6 on Friday night.
Boston won for the 13th time in 15 games to extend its lead in the AL East to five games over the second-place Yankees. New York snapped a four-game winning streak.
Addison Reed (1-1) got five outs, striking out three. He was the seventh Boston pitcher, after starter Drew Pomeranz left mid-batter with back spasms in the fourth. Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth for his 29th save.
The Red Sox opened a 3-0 lead on homers from Rafael Devers and Christian Vazquez. But Todd Frazier hit a two-run homer in the sixth, then New York scored four in the seventh to take a 6-3 lead.
Boston loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh against Tommy Kahnle (2-4), scored one run on Mookie Betts’ sacrifice fly and another on Andrew Benintendi’s single. Hanley Ramirez walked to load the bases again before Moreland lined an 0-2 pitch to center to make it 7-6.
Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a two-run single in the eighth off Aroldis Chapman to make it 9-6.
Kahnle recorded just two outs, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk. Gary Sanchez and Frazier homered, and Brett Gardner and Chase Headley had three hits apiece for the Yankees. Aaron Hicks was hit by a pitch twice.
Devers’ homer was his fourth in five games and his seventh in his 19-game major league career.
JUDGE
AL Rookie of the year favorite Aaron Judge came up with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth after the Yankees had already scored twice to make it 3-2. With Joe Kelly pitching, Judge fouled off two 100 mph pitches with two strikes and laid off a 101 mph fastball to work the count full before grounding out to the shortstop.
Judge had one hit in four at-bats while extending his strikeout streak to 35 consecutive games. He had already broken the record for position players, and now he’s tied with pitcher Bill Stoneman (1971) for the longest in a single season.
DREW’S DAY
Pomeranz was pulled from the game after throwing his second pitch to Headley in the fourth. After talking with manager John Farrell and the training staff, Brandon Workman was called in from the bullpen to relieve him.
Pomeranz, who had won six straight decisions, left with a 2-0 lead. He was charged with four hits and a walk, striking out four in 3 1/3 innings.
TONY C.
The Red Sox unveiled a display in Fenway Park to honor former outfielder Tony Conigliaro, who was nearly killed when blinded when he was beaned by Jack Hamilton of the California Angels on Aug. 18, 1967. The display included Conigliaro’s helmet, a jersey and AL championship ring from the ’67 season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: RHP Masahiro Tanaka threw in the bullpen on Friday and is expected to come off the DL (right shoulder inflammation) to start in Detroit next week.
Red Sox: LHP David Price hasn’t been able to throw since Tuesday because of soreness. Manager John Farrell conceded time is running out for Price to get his strength back before the postseason.
UP NEXT
Yankees: CC Sabathia (9-5) is trying to snap a personal two-game losing streak.
Red Sox: Chris Sale (14-4) gets the start. He will be going for his fourth straight win.
(Copyright (c) 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)