New York Yankees Recap: Red Sox Hold Off Playoff Celebration With 11-Inning Win

On a night where the storyline going into the game was Masahiro Tanaka’s return to the rotation, the middle relief for the New York Yankees ended up being the storyline as the Red Sox score four runs in the top of the 11^th inning in a 9-5 loss. With the Twins and Angels losing, the Yankees just needed a win to clinch a playoff spot. The offense continued to struggle to get the big hit in the big spot as they left 15 men on base and were 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Right out of the gate, the Red Sox took an early 3-0 lead before the Yankees came to bat. Tanaka got the first two outs in the inning, but Xander Bogaerts singled and David Ortiz drew a walk. That set up Travis Shaw as he took a 3-2 hanging splitter and hit it into the second deck in right for a three-run homer. It was Shaw’s 13^th home run of the season.

The Yankees would get one of those runs back in the bottom of the second. After a Chris Young single and Greg Bird walk with two outs, Rob Refsnyder hit a ground-rule double to right against Wade Miley to cut the lead to 3-1.

But, Boston would get a run back in the top of the third when Ortiz hit a one out single to center that drove in Dustin Pedroia to give the Red Sox a 4-1 lea. As for Tanaka, he looked rusty as he went five innings in his first start in 12 days, gave up four runs on five hits, struck out three, and walked one on 95 pitches (56 strikes) in a no-decision.

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Despite trailing by three runs, New York rallied to tie it in the fifth. With runners on the corners and one out, Carlos Beltran hit a ground-rule double to right center to drive in Jacoby Ellsbury. After Brian McCann drove in another run on a groundout to first to cut the lead to 4-3, Chris Young hit a ball that went off Deven Marerro’s glove at third and hit the umpire, which drove in Beltran and tied the game at four.

The game would be turned over to the bullpens. In the bottom of the sixth, New York took its first lead of the game when Alex Rodriguez hit a two-out solo shot to left against Matt Barnes. A-Rod’s 33^rd home run of the year gave the Yankees a 5-4 lead.

Justin Wilson would come in to pitch the top of the sixth and gave up only one hit over the 1.2 innings he’s pitched. Joe Girardi would go to Dellin Betances with two outs in the seventh, but Betances gave up a solo shot to the first batter he faced, Mookie Betts. Betts’ 17^th home run of the season tied the game at five.

After Andrew Miller shut out the Red Sox in the ninth and tenth inning, Andrew Bailey came in to pitch the 11^th. With runners on the corners and one out, Marrero lined a single to center to score Shaw and put Boston ahead, 6-5. Girardi would go to Chasen Shreve, but Shreve wasn’t any better. Jackie Bradley Jr. got down a good squeeze bunt to drive in a run and then Betts hit a two-run homer to left. His 18^th of the season and his third in the last two games gave the Red Sox a 9-5 lead. Alexi Ogando got the win for Boston as he pitched two scoreless innings of relief.

Next Game: The New York Yankees will look to avoid the sweep tomorrow night against the Boston Red Sox tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium. You can catch the game on YES and ESPN2 at 7:10 PM ET. CC Sabathia (5-10, 4.92 ERA) gets the start for the Yankees against Rich Hill (2-0, 1.17) for the Red Sox.

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