Billy Butler looked right at home in his first game with the Yankees.
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Mookie Betts #50 of the Boston Red Sox collects a single hit by Starlin Castro #14 of the New York Yankees in the first inning at Fenway Park on September 15, 2016 in Boston.
In doing so, the Yankees will repay the Red Sox, who hosted very respectful farewell ceremonies for both short stop Derek Jeter and closer Mariano Rivera.
David Ortiz (5-for-21, .238) and Xander Bogaerts (6-for-25, .240) each have one homer and three RBIs off Tanaka. Betances came after him with a 98 miles per hour fastball on the 3-1 pitch, which Ramirez crushed to center field for the game-winner.
It was the sixth walk-off hit of Ramirez’s career, his first with Boston.
Tonight, manager Joe Girardi hands the ball to his ace, Masahiro Tanaka, who is looking to continue his domination as of late.
Signed on Thursday by the Yankees, Butler debuted by going 1-for-3 with a first-inning sac fly and second-inning RBI.
If this team hopes to compete in these low-scoring games ahead, they’ll have to find ways to create opportunities with their legs and quick-decision making because it’s now apparent, unless the other team is being shut out. not even a Cy Young-caliber pitcher can save the Red Sox offense when it’s not at 100 percent. NY (77-69) was one out from being just three games out of first place but fell to five back.
Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka allowed one run on four hits and three walks, striking out no one but leaving after seven innings with a 5-1 lead. That tied Ortiz with Frank Robinson for 11th on the all-time list for extra-base hits. The Yankees actually held a three-run lead heading into the ninth, and with Betances having pitched on back-to-back days it seemed as though manager Joe Girardi was trying to avoid using him in Thursday’s game.
With the crowd chanting “Papi!”
“Against left-handers has been somewhat of a struggle all year for us”, Girardi said. “We’re fighting for our lives, he’s our best guy and I went to him”. Also, right-hander Nathan Eovaldi was transferred to the 60-day DL to make roster room for Butler. Ortiz has played in 134 of the first 146 games – starting 125 – taking time off along the way to stay healthy at 40 years old.
Veteran RHP Clay Buchholz, 5-9 with a 6.19 ERA lifetime against the Yankees, faces rookie RHP Luis Cessa on Friday in the second game of the series. He has not played in 151 games since 2006, and has topped it only once in his career.
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Orioles righty Kevin Gausman, who has posted a 2.06 ERA in his past nine starts since the beginning of August, hurled eight shutout innings against the Red Sox on Wednesday in a 1-0 Baltimore win.
