Yankees 9, Red Sox 1: Gary Sanchez homers twice in series-winning victory against Boson

Thursdays seem to be Gary Sanchez’s favorite day of the week.

For the second straight week, Sanchez hit two home runs on Thursday. That along with a generally solid offensive performance gave Michael Pineda more than enough run support, not that he needed it. Pineda allowed just one run in his seven innings as the Yankees took the last game of the series with a 9-1 win over the Red Sox.

The Yankees opened the game’s scoring in the second inning. After a Sanchez walk and a Red Sox defense assisted Didi Gregoirus single, Brett Gardner picked up a two-out single. That scored Sanchez, putting the Yankees ahead early.

In the third inning, the Yankees increased their lead with one of those Sanchez dingers. With Aaron Judge and Matt Holliday on base after a single and a walk, Sanchez hit his seventh homer of the season.

The Red Sox got on the board in a sloppy top of the fourth inning. It started when Xander Bogaerts reached on a throwing error by Chase Headley. After a Mitch Moreleand single, Pineda did get Hanley Ramirez to ground into a double play. Now with two outs and a runner on third, a passed ball got away from Sanchez and Bogaerts came home and scored.

In the fifth, the lead grew again, thanks to Sanchez again. With Starlin Castro on first after a single, Sanchez hit his second homer of the game. Another run in the sixth forced David Price out of the game after just 5+ innings, as the Yankees continue to have generally good results against him.

Pineda wound up going seven innings. He allowed four hits and two walks while striking out eight. Adam Warren relieved Pineda, pitching a flawless eighth inning. A Gardner home run got the Yankees another insurance run in the eighth inning.

Up eight runs in the ninth, Giovanny Gallegos got the first two outs of the inning, one coming on a nice sliding catch by Ronald Torreyes. Dellin Betances was then called on to get the last out of the game, having not worked in a while. It took a little longer than expected. Betances walked two batters and another reached on a dropped third strike. However, he eventually got a strike out, avoiding giving up a consolation run.

After dropping the first game of the series, the Yankees won the last two by a combined 16 runs.