The Yankees lost 8-5 yesterday to the Red Sox due to the fact that Boston’s big names delivered.
Dustin Pedroia drove in three RBIs and David Ortiz hit his 450th career home run, leading the Red Sox to victory. Ortiz’ homer was a three-run shot that sailed well into the right-field bleachers.
Ortiz has 40 home runs versus the Yankees since 2003, by far the most out of any player during that span. Manny Ramirez is second with 29 homers.
Having a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the 3rd, John Lackey ran into some trouble. On back-to-back at bats, Brett Gardner and Derek Jeter fouled off pitch after pitch. The duo combined to see 21 pitches before Jeter singled to right, scoring Ichiro.
In the fourth, New York added two more runs. Teixeira and Carlos Beltran both had solo home runs to right field, cutting Boston’s lead to one. But the Red Sox came back strong in the fifth due to a bases-loaded, two-run single by Pedroia.
New York’s pitchers struggled mightily in this one. Rookie right-hander Chase Whitley allowed five runs over four-plus innings. The Yankees used six pitchers in the game, combining for eight walks.
In the sixth, Pedroia hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring highly-touted rookie Mookie Betts. Earlier in the game, Betts picked up his first career hit – a single in the fourth inning.
That would be all the scoring that the Red Sox would need, holding on to a 8-5 victory.
The Yankees have now dropped six of their last eight games. They open up their series with the Rays tonight at 7 o’clock.