Red Sox Sweep Double Header and Series with Yankees

There was a ton of back and forth between Red Sox and Yankee fans over the weekend on the socials. The bird app was abuzz with Yankee’s Suck chants and Yankee fans jumped back with okay but you’re STILL in last place digs. Both can and are true. But what's worse? Being in last place or being swept by a last place team ? when it's what is arguably the biggest rivalry in sports history. It's being swept by that last place team.

Fathers day was the first time the Sox had swept the Yankees in a double header at Fenway since 1976. It was a beautiful gift the Sox gave their hometown fans. It was the first series sweep for the Sox over the Yankees in two years. And the Sox stand 5-1 vs the Bronx Bombers on the season. And still sit in last place in the AL East. BUT. Big but there, they are now just two games out of the last wild card slot in the American League.

Boston took game one of the series 15 - 5 , game two set for Saturday evening was a rain out and this forced them into the Fathers Day day night twin bill we were all lucky enough to get to witness yesterday. Kaleb Ort was the opener in game one and promptly gave up a two run homer to Gleyber Torres putting the Yanks up 2-0, that's where the scoring stayed until the fifth when Alex Verdugo worked a walk and Justin Turner doubled him to third. Both would score on a Raffy Devers Fielder's choice and Adam Duvall single. Then with two outs in the sixth the sox would break it open, Kike Hernandez legged out an infield single, Connor Wong would double him home, followed by a double by Verdugo and then Alex would touch home after Turner singled to left an at bat later. 5-2 Boston Masataka Yoshida opened the seventh with a triple ( gotta love this kid ) and would push the score to its final of 6-2 when Nick Ramirez baulked him home. Nick Pivetta would get the W, even with a 6-2 victory the sox were still just 3-10 hitting with RISP and left nine men on base. But DUBS

In the nightcap Brayan Bello took the hill and gave up a run in a shaky first. The sox would tie it up in the second with a Rafael Devers single a sac but ( in the second inning ?) by Wong then a double off the wall by Hernandez. The Sox would take the lead in the fourth on an odd series of events. singles by Verdugo and Refsnyder, Triston Casas did Casas things and worked a walk. Bases loaded McGuire would get to first and Verdugo would get home on the 5,000 catcher's interference to go the Sox way in 2023. In the fifth the sox broke it open Duran walked and stole second - Verdugo reached on an infield single - Devers walked and with two outs and bases again loaded. Casas did unlike Casas things and doubled home Duran and Verdugo. And that's how it ended. A few innings later after Josh Winckowski and Kenley Jansen came in to finish the job Bello started and the SWEEPS.

Pitching - Defense and timely hitting is what wins ball games. Ive preached this my whole life. The Sox got great pitching throughout this series. Just 7 earned runs in this three game set goes to prove that. The Sox were also 16 for 37 at the plate with RISP. The old town team also made just 2 errors over the weekend. See where pitching and D will take you Alex ? Pablo Reyes has been a godsend at shortstop. Keep him there. Durran has come a million miles in Center. Keep platooning him there. And even Triston Casas made a play or two over the weekend. Still get him out of here. The only bad thing that happened over the set was the loss of Tanner Houck with a facial fracture he got from a comebacker in game one. ( sending good Karma his way)

No rest for the weary. The Sox are back at it tonight in Minnesota vs the twins. Let's see if they can keep up and build on this good work.

As always you can follow / give me grief on Twitter @Tmurph207