Yankees Beat Red Sox 10-7, Benches Clear Twice As Tempers Flare
The New York Yankees handed the Red Sox a 10-7 loss on Wednesday night, but the game was even more eventful than the score indicated. It featured two bench-clearing incidents, one of which was a brawl that erupted in the seventh inning.
Red Sox reliever Joe Kelly hit the Yankees’ Tyler Austin in the back with a 97-mph fastball, ostensibly in retaliation for a hard slide against Boston’s Brock Holt in the third inning. The benches and bullpens cleared the first time, but quickly calmed the situation in the third. It was the second incident where punches were thrown.
Further discipline is likely in order for Kelly and Austin, who were both quickly ejected from the game.
The Yankees took a 10-6 lead into the top of the seventh, mainly off the strength of two home runs from Gary Sanchez. Giancarlo Stanton went 3-for-5 with three RBIs on the night, while Aaron Judge went 2-for-4 and scored twice.
Red Sox starter David Price showed control issues from the beginning of his start, which lasted only one inning. He allowed four runs in the frame before having to leave the game with what’s described as a “sensation” in his pitching hand.
Price told reporters after the game that the sensation was in his “whole hand” and that he didn’t have any feeling in his fingertips. But he also said it’s something he’s felt before. The lefty believes he’ll be fine for his next start.
The Yankees took an 8-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth, but the Red Sox were able to battle back into the game on the strength of a grand slam by J.D. Martinez. The left fielder took Masahiro Tanaka to straight-away center field for his second home run as a member of the Red Sox to cut the deficit to 8-6.
Welcome to #TheRivalry, @JDMartinez14. pic.twitter.com/HZczuHpEKb
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 12, 2018
The Yanks tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the sixth inning and never looked back on the scoreboard.
Up Next: The Red Sox and Yankees square off in the series finale on Thursday, with Rick Porcello taking on Sonny Gray – and the rivalry officially back on.
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