New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez hit two home runs off of David Price in his third start back since coming off of the disabled list as the Yankees cruised to a 9-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox to take the series and extend their division lead to three games in the AL East.
The big news coming into the day was Price's blow up with the Boston media and CSNNE reporter Evan Drellich over a series of tweets from Drellich following Wednesday nights 8-0 loss to the Yankees. On the surface it looked like Drellich appeared to be trying defend Price's declaration of not wanting to talk to the media on days in which he does not start, but Price was clearly peeved about something Drellich did or said.
When asked following Thursday night's game about the incident with Drellich, Price had no comment.
As a result, all eyes were on Price this evening as Sox fans and media alike were wondering/hoping that Price would use this blowup with the media as motivation and lead to a more focused Price on the mound but alas that was not the case as Price got shelled giving up six earned runs on eight hits with four walks and four strikeouts in just five innings of work raising his ERA to 5.29 on the year.
The Yankees got on the board first in the second inning on a RBI single by left fielder Brett Gardner that scored shortstop Didi Gregorius to give the Yanks a 1-0 lead. Sanchez then extended the Bombers lead to 4-0 in the third inning when he hit a three run shot for his seventh home run of the year.
The Red Sox got on the board in the top of the fourth on a passed ball by Sanchez that allowed shortstop Xander Bogaerts to score. That would be the only run that the Red Sox scored all night as Michael Pineda was brilliant in his outing giving up that one run which was unearned on four hits, with two walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings pitched to improve his record to 7-3 on the year with a 3.39 ERA.
The Yankees continued to pile on more runs in the fifth inning when Sanchez hit his second home run of the game, this time a two run shot that extended the Yankees lead to 6-1. Sanchez finished the game going 2-for-4 with the two homers and five RBI.
With the Yankees leading 7-1 in the eighth, the Bombers smashed their third home run of the game when Gardner hit his 13th dinger of the season to make it 8-1 New York. The Yankees would add another run that inning on a Starlin Castro force out that scored Aaron Hicks to make it 9-1.
The Red Sox tried to make things interesting with two outs in the ninth, loading the bases with Dellin Betances on the mound but Betances was able to get Pablo Sandoval looking at strike three to end the game.
The Red Sox look to end their mini two game losing streak Friday when they host the Detroit Tigers in game one of a three game series at Fenway Park. Be sure to catch Boston Red Sox Newsfeed Pregame Report with Jake Archer on CLNS.
