In what felt like a must-win game for the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox managed to secure a 5-3 victory at Fenway on Friday night. Starting pitcher Domingo German picked up the loss, lasting just 4.0 innings, allowing five hits and four runs, striking out just three batters. German currently hosts a 4.32 ERA this season, and while the bullpen performed adequately, the offense couldn’t pick up the slack.
“We’ve got to come out and grab it,’’ manager Aaron Boone said. “If we’re gonna be the team we expect to be, we’ve got to play better against the top teams in the division.â€
Offensively, the Yankees recorded nine hits and 10 strikeouts, leaving two men on base in the ninth inning, in which DJ LeMahieu hit into a double play to finish the game.
Thanks to a Clint Frazier walk and LeMahieu single in the second inning, the Yankees managed to get some runs on the board, but Boston features a lucrative offense this year, despite a recent cold streak of just three runs in the past two games.
Ultimately, traveling into enemy territory in a sold-out Fenway Park with nearly 37,000 fans engaged and energized, the Yankees were always facing an uphill battle. They currently stand five games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in first place and 4.5 games behind Boston in the AL East.
With two games remaining in the series, the Yankees have an opportunity to bounce back, and with Jordan Montgomery facing off against Nathan Eovaldi on Saturday night — they must get back in the win column if they want to remain in the hunt.
In other news, former Yankee Jacoby Ellsbury appeared as an honorary all-time great for Boston. He joined his former teammates Mike Lowell and Tim Wakefield, as well as Pedro Martinez, who saluted Dustin Pedroia, who retired earlier this year.
It’s always exciting to see Ellsbury, who brought in millions of dollars without offering much in return. It almost has the feel of sabotage from Boston.