With A-Rod also going deep earlier in the game – he became the oldest Yankee to homer against the Red Sox since Enos Slaughter (age 42) in 1959 – it marked the first major-league contest since at least 1913 in which a 40-year-old homered for each team.
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New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez watches his two-run double during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox in Boston, Sunday, May 1, 2016. The Red Sox opened a roster spot for Smith by optioning infielder Marco Hernandez to Triple-A Pawtucket after Sunday’s game. So of course, Vazquez launched the first pitch he saw, a 97-mph fastball, completely over the grandstand above the Green Monster to provide the 8-7 margin of victory, a five-game Yankees losing streak, and a Red Sox sweep.
After giving up 10 earned runs in his first three starts, Porcello has now blanked his past two opponents (Braves, Yankees).
How low can you go?
Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts sparked the Red Sox offense, driving in three runs a piece, while David Ortiz hit his second home run in as many nights and Brock Holt added an RBI. Dustin Pedroia’s second single of the game and Xander Bogaerts’ first put two on for David Ortiz, who took a big hack at a 3-0 pitch, but settled for a walk to load the bases.
“The key for me is I have to stay patient and not try to do too much”, Rodriguez said. “The two days off were good for me and hopefully it’s a sign of good things to come”. Eovaldi would exit in the sixth with a final line of 5.0 innings, 10 hits, six runs, three walks, and three strikeouts. Mark Teixeira singled to bring in another run and they were winning 6-4. “I just feel like I made two mistakes these last couple of games and they capitalized”.
“It’s tough, obviously”, said Betances, who blamed both homers on poor location. “Hopefully we can build on our offensive approach tonight”.
The Red Sox rallied from 3-1 and 6-4 deficits, Travis Shaw tying the game with a two-run homer in the fifth off Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi.
After connecting on only two extra-base hits in his first 14 games this season, A-Rod now has six in his past five games.
Plate umpire Alan Porter ruled immediately that the run would count; the call was ultimately upheld, with replay showing the run scored at nearly exactly the same time Ramirez was tagged.
“Obviously Jackie is swinging a very good bat right now”, Farrell said. “And it turns out to be a pivotal moment”.
Manager Joe Girardi tried getting the run overturned via replay, arguing that Chase Headley tagged Ramirez out at third base before Ortiz scored. Nova took the loss and dropped to 1-1, Kimbrel got his eighth save of the season. “These guys in the room have to get it done”. Kershaw is 6-0 with an 0.98 ERA in his last nine starts against the Padres.
NOTES: RHP Carson Smith, who has yet to pitch for the Red Sox this season because of a right forearm strain but is being counted on as a vital addition to the bullpen, will be activated for Tuesday night’s game in Chicago. They will head to Chicago in sole possession of first place in the AL East, and no matter what’s going right or wrong on the mound, this lineup can score enough runs to overcome it. You can ask for a better start to the season, but you’d sound mighty unreasonable doing so.
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Since the Yankees have already had two rainouts, their Opening Day game against the Astros was rained out and pushed to the next day, which was a mutual off day and they were also rained out in Detroit and will have to return there to play the postponed game, and that game has not rescheduled, reports the same post.
