Miguel Andujar makes history as Yankees drop finale to Red Sox, 10-2

The Yankees took care of business during the final series of the regular season in Boston. They earned home-field advantage for the American League Wild Card Game, clinched their 20th 100-win campaign, and set a new MLB mark for team home runs in a season. So you can forgive them for losing the season finale to the Red Sox today.

They weren’t done making history, though. Miguel Andujar tied the AL record for most doubles by a rookie by hitting his 47th of the year. The Yankees dropped the otherwise forgettable game 10-2 at Fenway Park.

Andujar’s historic hit came in the top of the fourth. Batting against Bobby Poyner, Andujar lofted a mile-high fly to left field. Brock Holt inched back to field it, seemed to have a beat on it, and leaped about a foot in front of the Green Monster, but the ball bounced off his glove. Andujar was already at second base with his 47th double of the year when the throw came in.

New York trailed 7-0 at the time, but got on the board when Luke Voit deposited the very next pitch over the dead-center field wall and into the black. Voit finishes his inaugural Yankees campaign with 14 home runs, 33 RBI, and 28 runs scored in 39 games. “Cool Hand” Luke has been nothing short of Ruthian since being recalled from Triple-A in August.

Manager Aaron Boone pitched mostly guys who aren’t going to be on the playoff roster. Luis Cessa started and coughed up four runs while only recording one out. He was injured on a collision at first base, and subsequently removed from the game after attempting some warm-up throws. David Robertson replaced him with runners on the corners, and retired both batters he faced.

Jonathan Loaisiga and Justus Sheffield followed Robertson, and the two combined to allow six runs in three innings. New York’s defense was sloppy early, with four of Boston’s runs being unearned. Cessa, Aaron Judge, and Brett Gardner all committed errors.

Stephen Tarpley, however, continued to impress. He pitched around a walk in the fifth, and then struck out the side in the sixth. Unfortunately, Blake Swihart, who should have been the third out of the inning, reached on a Kyle Higashioka passed ball. Tarpley then walked the next batter and Boone went to the bullpen. Chance Adams also looked good today, striking out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth.

Andujar’s two-bagger tied the junior circuit record set by Fred Lynn of the Red Sox in 1975. The knock was also Andujar’s 76th extra-base hit of the season, which is the ninth most by an AL rookie. Teammate Aaron Judge got 79 extra-base hits during his historic Rookie of the Year Award-winning campaign last year.

The Yankees finish the 2018 regular season with a 100-62 mark, while Voit’s two-run bomb pushed their single-season team home run record to 267. Join us on Wednesday when the Bombers host the AL Wild Card Game against the Athletics. Starting pitchers are to be determined. First pitch is set for 8:00 PM EDT.