A string of exciting victories could finally begin to give the New York Yankees some momentum in their quest to win the American League East.
After a third straight win in seven or more innings thanks to Aaron Judge’s first home run in more than two weeks, the Yankees will look to extend their lead on Saturday afternoon when they host the Red Boston Sox.
The Yankees (86-62) dominated the Red Sox 5-4 on Friday thanks to Judge’s grand slam in the seventh inning. Judge hit his 52nd major league home run and his first since hitting a two-game home run against the Colorado Rockies on August 25, ending a 16-game home run of the season.
“It felt like a playoff atmosphere in the seventh game while we were together,” Judge said. “So we were expecting that, of course.”
The game gave the Yankees six wins in eight games and a three-game lead over the second-place Baltimore Orioles. This is New York’s biggest lead since June 14.
“I hope no one is looking at the rankings,” the judge said. “I certainly don’t.”
Boston (74-74) will try to avoid falling below .500 for the first time since June 11. The Red Sox are on a seven game losing streak, and are 4 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Twins for third place in the American League. “I hate to say it, but he’s still there for us,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. We just have to win some games and make next week interesting.”
Masataka Yoshida and Boston’s Trevor Story hit two-run home runs Friday before Zack Kelly hit a shot in the seventh, bringing Judge’s Cam Booser home.
Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers, who went 1-for-3, has not hit a home run in his last 15 games. Devers is hitting .175 (10 for 57) since his last at-bat on August 25th.
No pitcher hit more home runs against Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole on Saturday than Devers, who homered against the right-hander eight times. Devers is 13-for-39 (.333) with 18 RBI against Cole.
In his last outing, Cole (6-4, 3.36 ERA) suffered a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs when he allowed two unearned runs in the first inning and three hits in six total innings on Sunday. It was the sixth time in his last seven starts that he allowed two runs or less.
Cole is 7-5 with a 4.84 ERA in 18 regular season starts against the Red Sox. He earned a no-decision against Boston on July 6 after allowing four runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. Boston’s Brayan Bello (13-7, 4.70 ERA) will try to win back-to-back starts for the first time in his last three wins before the All-Star break. Since those wins, Bello is 3-2 with a 3.75 ERA in 10 starts.
Bello surpassed his win total from last season on Monday, when he allowed two runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings in a 12-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles.
The righty is 2-3 with a 2.66 ERA in seven career starts against the Yankees. This year, however, New York held him to eight runs (seven earned) and 11 hits in 9 2/3 innings over two starts in Boston.