NEW YORK — On a night when Aaron Judge added to his MVP-caliber season with a pair of two-run homers, the New York Yankees’ pitching staff collapsed under the bright lights of Sunday Night Baseball. Former Yankees catching prospect Carlos Narvaez led a shocking Boston comeback, powering the Red
Sox to an 11-7 win and a surprising series victory at Yankee Stadium.
The loss marked just the second series defeat in 10 sets for the AL East-leading Yankees, who now sit at 39-25, still in command but with the gap narrowing. Boston, once spiraling, leaves the Bronx at 32-35, now just 8.5 games back and carrying momentum that few would have predicted entering the weekend.
Judge delivers, but pitching implodes
Judge wasted no time putting the Yankees on the board, launching a two-run shot to right-center off Boston rookie Hunter Dobbins just six pitches into the game. He would add another two-run blast in the ninth, bringing his season total to 23 home runs. But his heroics went for naught as the Yankees’ bullpen unraveled across the middle and late innings.
“It’s frustrating,” manager Aaron Boone said. “You want to cash in on a night like that from your captain.”
The turning point came in the sixth inning, when starter Carlos Rodon, who had cruised through four innings, lost his command. He plunked Rafael Devers, walked Rob Refsnyder, and then watched Narváez, once a Yankee himself, deposit a 1-2 fastball into the left-field seats for a three-run homer that gave Boston a 5-3 lead.
Ex-Yankees rookie Narvaez haunts old club
Narvaez, acquired by Boston in a quiet offseason move, made his presence loud on Sunday. The 26-year-old catcher, signed as an international free agent by the Yankees back in 2015, had appeared in only six games for New York last year. Now, he’s making them pay.
It was his sixth home run of the season and his most impactful yet.
“He just crushed that one,” Rodon said. “I missed location, and he made me pay.”
Rodon’s roller coaster returns
Rodon, who entered the game with a 1.27 ERA over his last nine starts and an undefeated 7-0 record since April 13, was shaky Sunday. He finished with five runs allowed on just three hits, but the three walks, one hit batter, and poor pitch sequencing cost him dearly.
“He had a couple good innings early,” Boone said. “But the free passes caught up to him.”
It was the first time Rodon allowed more than three runs in a start since March.
Bullpen breakdown
The Yankees bullpen offered no lifeline.
Fernando Cruz loaded the bases in the sixth.
Tim Hill, previously perfect with the bases loaded, gave up a two-run single to Jarren Duran.
Jonathan Loaisiga, still settling in after elbow surgery, gave up back-to-back homers to Abraham Toro and Trevor Story in the eighth.
Brent Headrick surrendered a towering homer to Devers in the ninth.
The Red Sox finished with five home runs in total and 11 runs on 12 hits, continuing a two-game stretch in which they’ve scored 21 runs.
Yankees’ offense fights, falls short
Aside from Judge’s fireworks, the Yankees got solo homers from DJ LeMahieu and a sixth-inning rally that brought them within two runs. A sacrifice fly from Jazz Chisholm Jr. and a bases-loaded walk drawn by Trent Grisham made it 7-5.
Still, the Yankees couldn’t mount a final push.
In the ninth, trailing 11-7 with two men on, Anthony Volpe struck out against Aroldis Chapman, who notched his 11th save and sealed the game for Boston.
What this means
This was not just a loss — it was a lost opportunity. The Yankees could have buried Boston deeper in the standings but gave the Red Sox renewed life.
“They had their hitting shoes on the last couple nights,” Boone said. “They beat us here this weekend.”
It also puts a spotlight on the Yankees’ pitching depth, especially in the bullpen. Jonathan Loaisiga now owns a 4.50 ERA, while Hill and Cruz have looked inconsistent against stronger lineups.
The Yankees remain first in the AL East, but with the trade deadline fast approaching, this weekend could shape how aggressively Brian Cashman looks to add relief help or back-end rotation depth.
What’s next?
The Yankees will look to regroup during their next series, hoping to avoid a bullpen repeat. With Luis Gil and Marcus Stroman still sidelined, every Rodon or Clarke Schmidt outing becomes more meaningful — and more scrutinized.
For now, a series that began with promise ends in frustration.
Judge did his part. But the Yankees’ arms couldn’t hold the line. And an old friend in Narvaez made sure they paid for it.
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