In the first inning, CC Sabathia walked the first two batters he faced. It was just two batters into the game, but it had already become a bit worrying. It turns out, the worrying was unnecessary.
Sabathia threw six shutout innings, allowing just two hits. He did walk five batters, but every time the Red Sox threatened, he had an answer. Whether it was a timely double play, or him throwing home to get a runner on a fielder’s choice, he kept doing enough to keep the Red Sox off the board. Sabathia’s excellent performance allowed the Yankees to take the first game of the doubleheader with a 3-0 win.
After three scoreless innings, the Yankees took the lead in the top of the fourth. With one out in the inning, they loaded the bases. Didi Gregorius singled, Clint Frazier reached after Xander Bogaerts made an error on a potential double play ball, and then Austin Romine singled. Ji-Man Choi flew out to left, but it was deep enough for Gregorius to tag up and score. Ronald Torreyes then added a single, and Frazier just beat the tag at home, giving the Yankees another run.
In the fifth, Gregorius hooked one around Pesky’s Pole in right. The solo home run put the Yankees up 3-0.
Sabathia’s day would be over after six innings as Tyler Clippard came in to pitch the seventh. After yesterday’s taxing game, six good innings from their starter was exactly what the Yankees needed.
In the seventh, Clippard allowed a lead off single to Brock Holt, but otherwise threw a clean inning. Chad Green then came in for the eighth. He got the first two outs easily, but then put two runners on with walks. That brought the tying run to the plate, but Green struck out Jackie Bradley Jr., keeping the Red Sox off the board.
Aroldis Chapman was then tasked with the ninth inning. He allowed a single and got some possibly generous strike calls, but ended the game in a mostly drama-free manner.
With this win, the Yankees will get out of this crazy series with a split at worst. However if they can get another victory tonight, they can get out of Boston with a much needed series win.