The New York Yankees had a historic win last night at Boston’s Fenway Park when Yankees pitcher J.A. Happ pitched the Yankees best game of the year going into the eighth inning, shutting out the Boston Red Sox with 113 pitches. It was the Yankees 31st win of the season and their tenth in a row. It was also the Yankee 12th straight win over the Red Sox, including last year, the first time it was done since 1936. It was also the tenth in a row for the first time since 2012.
J. A. Happ stepped to the mound in the bottom of the first ahead by two runs, and he never looked back. Happ was dominant in the game, allowing no runs in eight innings pitched. It was the first time a Yankee pitcher pitched eight innings in a game. At the top of the first, Clint Frazier drove a ball to the left-field for the Yankee 2-0 lead. Clint Frazier, other than Happ, was the star of the game. Clint Frazier went 3 for 4 with three RBIs.
If the New York Yankees ended the season today, the AL would look like this: the Rays playing the Blue Jays, the Yankees playing the Twins, the Athletics playing the Astros, and the White Sox, playing the Cleveland Indians. The Yankees magic number is now 1, to clinch a playoff spot.
The New York Yankees offense started in the top of the with Red Sox starter Mazza loading the bases on his 17th pitch of the inning. Gio Urshela had a sac fly, driving in DJ LeMahieu. Clint Frazier singled, driving in Aaron Judge, and the Yankees had a two-run lead.
At the top of the fourth inning, Kyle Higashioka drove in Clint Frazier from second, then Tyler Wade hit on right to short, but in the Red Sox’s second mistake of the game, the throw was thrown beyond the first baseman, scoring Mike Tauchman, and it was 4-0 Yankees, knocking out Sox starter Chris Mazza. The fifth inning was worse for reliever Dylan Covey. Covey allowed Luke Voit to single to left, Brett Gardner motored all the way from first base to score. Frazier then homered to right-center, driving in Voit, and it was 7-0.
The New York Yankees picked up another run in the top of the ninth. At the bottom of the frame, Nick Nelson came in for Happ and closed it out for the final score of Yankees 8, and the Red Sox were shut out of the party. Happ took the win, going eight innings with 113 pitches while striking out 9 Red Sox players. Chris Mazza took the loss for the Sox.
In the game, Clint Frazier went 3 for 4 with a homer driving in 3 runs. Gio Urshela had a good night also, driving in 2 runs. Luke Voit, Kyle Higashioka, and Tyler wade got in in the fun, driving in a run apiece. Today Deivi Garcia will take the mound for the Yankees in a 1:07 pm matinee at Fenway. He will face the Red Sox’s Tanner Houck, as the Yankees go for their 11th straight win.