Frazier’s 5 RBIS lift Yanks
Sanchez homers in 3rd straight; Lemahieu out with sprained thumb
The next-man-up New York Yankees are at it again.
Clint Frazier homered, drove in five and made a diving catch filling in for injured right fielder Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez went long in his third straight game, and New York overcame the loss of AL batting leader DJ Lemahieu
to beat the Boston Red Sox 11-5 Saturday night.
Frazier had three hits, including a three-run drive, and matched a career high in RBIS. Gio Urshela also homered for the Yankees, and Tyler Wade delivered an RBI double after replacing Lemahieu, who left with a sprained left thumb in the sixth inning.
New York has beaten Boston in eight straight meetings, its longest winning streak in the rivalry since 1985. The Yankees improved to 14-6 in this pandemic-shortened season
— the franchise’s best 20-game start since going 17-3 in 2003 — despite losing Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Aroldis Chapman and now Lemahieu to injury or illness.
Xander Bogaerts and Alex Verdugo homered, and struggling sluggers Rafael Devers and J.D. Martinez had two hits each, but Boston dropped to 6-15. Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi (1-2) allowed three homers and eight runs in 51/3 innings, by far the worst start of what’s been a bounceback season for the hard
throwing righty.
Yankees starter James Paxton (1-1) allowed three runs in five innings.
Lemahieu, hitting .411 atop the Yankees’ lineup, was pulled in the sixth inning after an awkward whiff against Eovaldi in the fourth. He remained in the game and grounded out weakly. He played another half-inning in the field before being replaced by Wade.
Frazier is 7 for 11 with two home runs in three games since being recalled from the club’s alternate site this week.
He went the other way to right field for his homer off Eovaldi in the sixth and added a bases-loaded single in the seventh to drive in two more.
Criticized for defensive acumen and effort, Frazier helped Paxton strand two baserunners in the first when he laid out to catch Bogaerts’ sharp line drive in right-center.
Sanchez lofted a tworun homer in the fourth that put New York ahead 4-3. The 27-year-old started the season on a 4-for-43 slide with one homer before this threeday power surge.
Paxton’s heater topped out at a season-best 92.8 mph.
Trainer’s room
Red Sox: Right-hander Chris Mazza will pitch Sunday and lefty Martin Perez on Monday to close out the series against the Yankees. Righty Zack Godley will then pitch Tuesday against Philadelphia.
Yankees: Judge will be treated through the weekend for a strained right calf that landed him on the injured list Friday, and Boone hopes he can resume baseball activities Monday . ... Chapman (COVID-19) threw his second simulated game at the club’s alternate site Friday, and Boone said the All-star closer is just about ready to return.