New York Yankees 0-3 Boston Red Sox
Rafael Devers powered the Boston Red Sox to a 3-0 victory over the Yankees on Sunday night, hitting a home run off rookie pitcher Luis Gil in the seventh inning and another in the ninth. This win deepened New York’s struggles, marking their 15th loss in just 20 games.
Devers launched a towering homer off rookie pitcher Gil’s 98.8 mph fastball, sending the ball into the first row of the left-field seats. He admired his handiwork with a leisurely jog around the bases. He wasn’t finished, though, as he hit another homer in the ninth inning, this time off reliever Michael Tonkin.
A Rough Night for the Yankees at Home
Rafael Devers continues to torment the Yankees, launching his 16th career homer at Yankee Stadium and bringing his total against New York pitching to an impressive 28. The Red Sox are on a roll, with rookie Ceddanne Rafael adding another homer in the eighth inning, propelling them to their sixth win in seven games and 16th in the last 22. Their dominance on Sundays is evident, boasting a perfect 14-1 record.
The loss deepens the Yankees‘ struggles within the AL East. They’ve dropped to 13-16 against divisional rivals and haven’t won a series in their last seven attempts, dating back to a series loss at Fenway Park in mid-June. This marks a disappointing 0-6-1 stretch.
For the first time since April, the Yankees were shut out, marking their sixth such defeat of the season. This puts them behind the league-leading Atlanta Braves, who have nine shutouts.
Despite a dominant performance by Kutter Crawford, who tossed seven scoreless innings and allowed just four hits, the Yankees’ offense couldn’t muster any runs. Crawford’s economical outing, requiring only 40 pitches through five innings, was the fewest by a major league starter since 2017. However, the lack of offensive support resulted in a frustrating loss for the home team.
Frustrating Night for Yankees Pitching
While Kutter Crawford’s outing was a masterclass in efficiency, it wasn’t enough to secure the win. Crawford threw first-pitch strikes to 17 of 23 hitters and dominated the zone, with 54 of his 68 pitches going for strikes.
On the other side, rookie Luis Gil’s struggles continued, although tonight’s performance offered a glimpse of his potential. Despite dropping his fourth straight outing after a scorching start (9-1), Gil showcased impressive control, striking out nine and walking none for the first time in his young career. He leaned heavily on his slider, throwing a season-high 34 out of 96 pitches, and limited Boston’s offense to just one run (Devers’ homer) over 6 2/3 innings. This continues a trend of Gil holding opponents to one run or fewer an impressive 11 times this season.
However, the bullpen couldn’t hold on. Justin Slaten allowed a scoreless eighth, but a barehanded pickup by Devers at third on a DJ LeMahieu grounder ended the inning. Unfortunately, Kenley Jansen couldn’t close it out in the ninth, striking out Aaron Judge but ultimately surrendering the winning run.
The Yankees Roster
Up Next
The Yankees head south for a three-game series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. Left-hander Carlos Rodón (9-6, 4.45 ERA) will start for New York, aiming to rebound after a string of losses. He’ll go up against right-hander Ryan Pepiot (4-5, 4.40 ERA) for the Rays. This will be the first matchup between these two pitchers this season.
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