Yankees sweep Red Sox to move over .500, into fourth-place tie

Publish date: 2024-08-16

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BOSTON — Most September meetings between the Yankees and Red Sox come with October implications.

Perhaps the biggest stakes during their four-game set this week?

Not finishing in last place in the AL East.

Courtesy of their doubleheader sweep on Tuesday at Fenway Park — they won the opener 3-2 and the nightcap 4-1 — the Yankees pulled into a tie with the Red Sox for fourth place in the division with 17 games left in a lost season.

The Yankees (73-72), who were officially eliminated from the AL East race on Monday night (and long before then unofficially) a year after winning the division, have not finished in last place in their division since 1990.

“The end of the season is about having the discipline to go out there and still be at your sharpest and put your best foot forward,” Kyle Higashioka said after he went 3-for-4 with a run in Game 1, only his second start of the month. “At this point, we gotta show some character and finish strong no matter what the circumstances are.”

Carlos Rodon, who allowed one run in five innings, picked up the victory in the Yankees’ 4-1 win over the Red Sox in Game 2, recording a doubleheader sweep. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

After they racked up 10 strikeouts and just one hit through the first five innings of Game 1 against right-hander Nick Pivetta, the Yankees rallied for three runs in the sixth inning to get back to .500 on the season.

Then, they delivered another comeback win in the nightcap, behind Carlos Rodon’s five solid innings and four shutout innings from the unlikely bullpen quartet of Zach McAllister, Anthony Misiewicz, Matt Bowman and Nick Ramirez.

By the end of the sweep, the Yankees had (at least for the night) escaped sole possession of the AL East basement for the first time since Aug. 8.

In the process, they also racked up manager Aaron Boone’s 499th and 500th career wins.

“I wish it would have come about a month ago,” Boone said.

Instead, the Yankees are playing out a September that has become focused on a youth movement, though a handful of their veterans played key roles on Tuesday.

Trailing 2-0 entering the sixth inning of Game 1, the Yankees got on the scoreboard when DJ LeMahieu roped an RBI double to left field.

Oswaldo Cabrera celebrates after belting a double in the Yankees’ Game 2 win. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

One out later, Gleyber Torres sprayed a single the other way to drive in two more runs for the 3-2 lead.

Randy Vasquez and Jhony Brito combined to toss six innings before handing it over to the only healthy, high-leverage relievers the Yankees have left: Tommy Kahnle, Wandy Peralta and Clay Holmes.

In the ninth, Holmes nearly blew it by walking the bases loaded with one out before he got Alex Verdugo to ground into a double play to end the game.

Across five spot starts this season, the 24-year-old Vasquez has posted a 2.42 ERA as he tries to put himself in position for more starts next year.

Anthony Misiewicz (above) and the other members of the Yankees’ bullpen did not allow a run in the Yankees’ Game 2 victory. Getty Images

“It’s an opportunity for me to gain the trust of the team and not just this year, but looking forward to next year,” Vasquez said through an interpreter. “Putting my name on the map and working and doing everything I can to get their trust.”

In Game 2, the Yankees fell behind 1-0 in the first inning before they came back to tie it on Estevan Florial’s RBI single in the fifth and took the lead on Jake Bauers’ fielder’s choice in the sixth.

Following Rodon, the 35-year-old McAllister threw a scoreless sixth inning in his first big league game since 2018, and Bowman, 32, tossed a scoreless eighth in his first major league game since 2019.

Everson Pereira slides safely into home to score on Estevan Florial’s RBI single during the fifth inning of the Yankees’ win. AP

“It was incredible,” said McAllister, a 2006 draft pick of the Yankees. “It was a moment I’ll always remember.”

A typical Yankees-Red Sox late-season meeting it was not — besides taking three hours and 39 minutes to finish the nightcap.

But the Yankees used the sweep to climb out of last place alone, at least temporarily.

“I think guys were juiced,” Boone said of McAllister’s and Bowman’s outings. “A long day at Fenway, kind of muggy and humid and drizzly — it’s satisfying when you can grab two.”

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