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08/28 22:17 CDT Yankees nip rival Red Sox 1-0 in series opener behind
Goldschmidt, Bellinger and Schlittler
Yankees nip rival Red Sox 1-0 in series opener behind Goldschmidt, Bellinger
and Schlittler
By MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- Paul Goldschmidt homered, left fielder Cody Bellinger threw
out the potential tying run at home plate to end the seventh inning and the New
York Yankees edged the Boston Red Sox 1-0 on Friday night in the opener of a
pivotal four-game series.
Cam Schlittler (12-6) shut down his hometown team again, striking out eight in
5 2/3 innings of two-hit ball. The right-hander from Massachusetts overcame
five walks, which matched a career high, as the Red Sox went 1 for 7 with
runners in scoring position and stranded 10 overall.
They also cost themselves with a terrible baserunning blunder by Ceddanne
Rafaela, who got doubled off first as the trail runner when Wilyer Abreu lined
out to center field --- ending the fifth with cleanup batter Willson Contreras
on deck.
New York remained four games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East and
moved three ahead of Boston in the race for the top American League wild card
and home-field advantage throughout a potential best-of-three playoff series
between the longtime rivals.
Such a matchup would be a reprisal of last year, when Schlittler pitched a Game
3 gem as a rookie to send the Yankees on. Schlittler, who surpassed 200
strikeouts this season and leads the AL with a 2.09 ERA, is 3-1 with a 0.56 ERA
and 39 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings over five career starts against Boston ---
including the postseason.
In a nip-and-tuck game with a playoff feel, Boston put runners at second and
third with one out in the seventh when Rafaela singled and Abreu doubled on the
first two pitches from reliever Paul Blackburn.
Contreras lofted a fly to left and Bellinger cut down Rafaela at the plate with
a 99.7 mph throw.
Blackburn worked a 1-2-3 eighth and David Bednar pitched a perfect ninth for
his 31st save.
With the Yankees facing a left-handed starter for the first time since Aug. 8
(excluding openers), Goldschmidt batted leadoff and launched a 430-foot homer
to left off hard-luck loser Patrick Sandoval (1-3) in the third.
Up next A day-night doubleheader Saturday to make up a June 6 rainout. Max Fried (4-4, 2.81 ERA) will come off the injured list to start the second game for the Yankees, with fellow left-hander Carlos Rodn (4-2, 3.15) taking the ball in Game 1. Rookie LHP Jake Bennett (8-6, 3.49) pitches the opener for the Red Sox, who had not announced a Game 2 starter. ___ See AP's full MLB coverage here
Up next A day-night doubleheader Saturday to make up a June 6 rainout. Max Fried (4-4, 2.81 ERA) will come off the injured list to start the second game for the Yankees, with fellow left-hander Carlos Rodn (4-2, 3.15) taking the ball in Game 1. Rookie LHP Jake Bennett (8-6, 3.49) pitches the opener for the Red Sox, who had not announced a Game 2 starter. ___ See AP's full MLB coverage here
