Stanton Torments The Sox Again; Yanks Lock Up Opening Series Win
Photo Via: MLB.comWe are two games into the season, but it almost feels like the same game twice. Just about an hour after GM Brian Cashman made public the details of the contract extension that our beloved Aaron Judge rejected, the Yankees found themselves trailing to the Boston Red Sox in the top of the first inning. Gerrit Cole was roughed up again by Boston, with Rafael Devers kicking off the scoring on a 2-run tank job after a 4-pitch walk was issued to Kiké Hernández. Boston brought home one more in the frame and jumped out to a 3-0 lead.
Then in the bottom half of the inning, Anthony Rizzo blasted the Yanks’ first rocket of the year to immediately get the Bombers back into striking distance. A few innings later, Giancarlo Stanton hit a laser into the right field seats, tying the game after Boston had taken a one run lead. The Yankees entered the bottom of the 8th down by a run, but D.J. LeMahieu fixed that with a solo home run to right field. It was also some of the most animated few seconds we have seen from D.J. in pinstripes. As he rounded first base, he let out a roar. After one more one-run comeback in the 10th, the stage was set for Josh Donaldson in his Yankee debut. The former foe laced a grounder up the middle to walk it off in the 11th inning of Opening Day!
On Saturday, Boston once again jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on a 2-run bomb — this time by Alex Verdugo off of Luis Severino. Other than the blemish, Sevy looked sharp in his first start since the 2019 Postseason.
Just like the day before, Anthony Rizzo drove in the Yanks’ first two runs in dinger fashion. And also just as the previous day, the next Yankee score came from a Giancarlo Stanton tank. Stanton crushed one 437 feet over the left field bullpen for a 2-run shot and the Yankees’ bullpen tossed 6 shutout, no-hit innings to make it a 4-2 final in the victory.
Stanton became the first player ever to homer in six consecutive games against the Red Sox. He will attempt to extend the record to seven tonight in the final game of the series. Oh, and Anthony Rizzo is not far behind him, with homers in each of his last three games versus the division rival.