Cody Bellinger hit a tiebreaking home run with two outs to start a five-run eighth inning, and the New York Yankees recorded a 6-1 victory over the visiting Boston Red Sox on Sunday afternoon.
The Yankees won for the eighth time in 12 games and second time in five games since losing Aaron Judge to a stress fracture in his right rib.
After Justin Slaten (0-3) struck out Paul Goldschmidt and Ben Rice, Bellinger snapped the tie by lifting a 1-0 cutter into the right-center field seats. Following Bellinger’s drive, Amed Rosario singled, stole second and scored on Trent Grisham’s two-strike single to right field.
Slaten’s outing ended when he walked Anthony Volpe. Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a three-run homer to the back of the Yankee bullpen in right-center on Joe La Sorsa’s first pitch for a 6-1 lead.
Tim Hill (3-2), who allowed 12 runs in his previous nine appearances, tossed a 1-2-3 eighth ahead of the winning rally. David Bednar pitched a perfect ninth to finish New York’s fourth win in five tries over Boston this season.
Paul Goldschmidt hit an RBI bloop single in the fifth off Boston’s Ranger Suarez following a double by Jose Caballero to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead.
Willson Conteras hit a tying RBI double to left field off Cam Schlittler in the sixth to score Ceddanne Rafaela from first when Volpe’s relay throw from Bellinger was well up the line.
The Yankees missed a chance at regaining the lead in the sixth when Volpe swung at the first pitch and popped out following a double by Grisham.
Suarez allowed one run on six hits in 6 1/3 innings. He registered three of his six strikeouts against Chisholm Jr. and did not walk a batter.
Coming off his shortest outing this season, Schlittler allowed one run on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. Schlittler struck out five and walked one.
After Saturday’s contest was rained out, the series finale was delayed by rain for about 20 minutes before getting underway. Rain started falling as lineups were being announced and both starters finished warming up but conditions cleared about five minutes after the tarp was put on the field.
–Field Level Media
