Rafael Devers hit a tiebreaking home run with one out in the seventh inning and went deep again in the ninth as the surging Boston Red Sox recorded a 3-0 victory over the host New York Yankees on Sunday night.
Boston won for the sixth time in seven games and improved to 16-6 in its past 22 games. The Red Sox also beat the Yankees for the 12th time in the past 17 head-to-head meetings and sent New York to its 15th loss in 20 games overall.
Devers added to his resume against the Yankees when he belted a 2-2 fastball from New York starter Luis Gil (9-5) into the left-center-field seats to put Boston up 1-0 in the seventh. Devers was named to the American League All-Star team along with outfielder Jarren Duran and right-hander Tanner Houck earlier Sunday.
Devers connected again in the ninth, hammering an 0-1 fastball from Michael Tonkin into the New York bullpen.
Devers hit three homers in the series. He has 16 career home runs at Yankee Stadium and has smacked 28 overall against the Yankees.
It was the second multi-homer game of the season for Devers, and the 18th of his career.
Boston starter Kutter Crawford (5-7) allowed four hits in seven innings while throwing 54 of his 68 pitches for strikes. Crawford struck out four, walked none and frequently got ahead of New York hitters.
Gil, a rookie, allowed one run on four hits in 6 2/3 innings and lost his fourth straight start. He struck out nine and did not issue a walk for the first time in his career.
New York was unable to win consecutive games for the first time since winning four straight from June 9-12. The Yankees also were blanked for the sixth time this season.
New York’s Ben Rice struck out twice and went 0-for-4 after becoming the first rookie in team history to hit three homers in a game during Saturday’s 14-4 victory.
Rookie Ceddanne Rafaela also went deep for the Red Sox, smacking a solo shot in the eighth.
Reliever Justin Slaten stranded a runner in the home half of the eighth when Devers made a bare-handed play on a slow grounder by DJ LeMahieu to end the inning. Kenley Jansen pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 18th save of the year.
–Field Level Media
