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Red Sox sweep Yanks behind Vazquez HR
- Updated: May 2, 2016
BOSTON — Christian Vazquez became the second player this weekend to hit a game-turning, first-pitch homer against Yankees reliever Dellin Betances, lifting the Red Sox to an 8-7 victory that completed a three-game sweep in the first rivalry series of the season.
Vazquez jumped on a 97-mph heater for a two-run shot with two outs in the bottom of the seventh that snapped a 6-6 tie.
“I was talking to [hitting coach] Chili Davis before he got to the mound,” said Vazquez of Betances coming on. “I was trying to get the fastball and I got him, so I hit the bomb. It was a great moment.”
The win put the 15-10 Red Sox in sole possession of first place in the American League East for the first time this season. It was their first series sweep of the Yankees since Sept. 13-15, 2013.
“It’s early, but it feels good. As long as you play good, you feel good,” said Red Sox slugger David Ortiz. “You just keep building up your confidence. We had a good April, and now we’re going to try and have a good May. There’s a lot of games left. I like what I see so far.”
In Friday’s series opener, Ortiz broke a tie with a two-run homer on a first-pitch curve by Betances. Sunday’s finale was a wild game in which Red Sox ace David Price (4-0, 6.14 ERA) got the win, despite giving up eight hits and six runs over seven innings.
Alex Rodriguez had a big night for the Yankees, drilling a two-run homer to left-center to give the Yankees a 3-1 lead in the third and then ripping a two-run double off the wall in left-center to lead a three-run fifth that put New York up, 6-4. It didn’t take long for Boston to respond. Travis Shaw unloaded for a two-run equalizer down the line in right in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 6-6 game.
With A-Rod up with two outs and nobody on in the seventh, manager John Farrell sprinted out to talk to Price. After a quick chat, Farrell stuck with the lefty, and he ended his performance by getting Rodriguez on a grounder to short.
MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDShaw’s missile: Shaw continues to get big hits for the Red Sox. His two-run shot to tie the game came a half-inning after Price surrendered the lead. Statcast™ tracked the exit …
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