With the New York Yankees going 15-5 since the All-Star Break and now gaining on the Boston Red Sox in the American League Wildcard standings, the teams started a key three game series on Tuesday with a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. At the end of the day, New York moved percentage points ahead of Boston in those standings with 5-3 and 2-0 wins. The Yankees have gained 9.5 games on the Red Sox since July 26.
GAME 1- Boston fell behind 2-0 early on a bases loaded two-run single by Andrew Valazquez in the bottom of the second inning. The Sox came right back when Xander Bogaerts singled in Bobby Dalbec and Kike Hernandez with two outs in the third to tie it 2-2. The guests took their only lead of the day when Christian Vazquez hit a leadoff solo homerun in the fifth. After starter Tanner Houck got pulled after 4.0 innings reliever Garrett Whitlock walked both Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge with one in the bottom of the fifth, before Josh Taylor then came on and walked Joey Gallo. Luke Voit gave New York the lead for good at 4-3 with a looping single into shallow centerfield just out of the reach of the second baseman Hernandez. Pinch hitter Giancarlo Stanton finished off the scoring with an RBI single. The Red Sox loaded the bases with no outs in their last chance in the seventh on consecutive singles by Kyle Schwarber, Christian Vazquez, and Alex Verdugo. But Travis Shaw as a pinch hitter lined out to left, and Hernandez and Hunter Renfroe both struck out to end it. Whitlock (4-2) took the loss and Taylor got a blown save. Vazquez had two hits. The bullpen allowed six walks in 2.0 innings. Rougned Odor and Tyler Wade had two hits for the Yankees, Albert Abreu (2-0) won in relief of Jordan Montgomery while Jonathan Loaisiga picked up his fifth save.
GAME 2- Nathan Eovaldi pitched well but go no run support as New York starter Luis Gil pitched 4.2 innings of shutout baseball only allowing Boston three hits. Solo homeruns by Voit in the second and Stanton in the fourth is all the Yankees needed. Eovaldi (10-8) allowed two runs on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts in the solid 5.0 inning effort to take the loss. Wandy Peralta (4-2) picked up the win in relief, while Chad Green pitched a perfect seventh for his fifth save. DJ LeMahieu had two hits. Boston (69-53) and New York (68-52) now tied up for the second AL Wildcard (NY technically ahead in percentage points), each 1/2 game behind Oakland for that first spot. The Sox try to avoid the sweep Wednesday night sending Nick Pivetta (9-5, 4.20 ERA) to the mound against Andrew Heaney (7-8, 5.78) for the Yankees.
