Yankees - 001 020 001 - 4 9 0 Red Sox - 000 100 100 - 2 8 0Brett Gardner probably should have been called out on strikes, ending the top of the fifth inning with the score still knotted at 1-1.
But home plate umpire Cory Blaser had called Wade Miley's first pitch - clearly within the strike zone - a ball. Miley's next two offerings were called strikes, so the count was 1-2. Gardner ended up lining a 2-2 pitch to left for a single, bringing in two runs, giving the Yankees a lead they never relinquished. It was a very frustrating loss and it dropped the Red Sox's record to 12-12.
New York began the fifth inning with Chase Headley's double into the left field corner. Gregorio Petit blooped a ball into center than fell in front of Mookie Betts. It looked like Betts might have a shot at catching it, so Headley had to stay at second. (So much for being in "scoring position"! Headley didn't even advance to third.) Didi Gregorius bunted the runners to second and third and Boston brought the infield in. Jacoby Ellsbury grounded to first and Mike Napoli held the runners and recorded the out. Then Miley appeared to have struck out Gardner, escaping the threat. However, the Yankees' left fielder lined a single to left, snapping the 1-1 tie.
Boston cut the gap to 3-2 in the seventh. With two outs, Blake Swihart walked and scored on Mookie Betts's double to left. However, Dustin Pedroia grounded out to short to end the inning.
In the eighth, Hanley Ramirez walked with one out, but Justin Wilson struck out Pablo Sandoval and Dellin Betances struck out Mike Napoli. Betances then struck out the side - Brock Holt, Xander Bogaerts, Swihart - in the bottom of the ninth.
Swihart, who saw 22 pitches in his first three plate appearances, got his first major league hit in the fifth. He hit a ground ball to the right side. Yankees second baseman Petit ranged far to his left, but was off-balance while fielding the ball on the outfield grass and did not throw accurately to first.
Pedroia hit his fifth home run in the fourth inning. ... Miley: 7-7-3-0-3, 102. ... David Ortiz and Sandoval each singled twice.
Betts, CFBlake Swihart, #23, is making his major league debut. He began 2015 as Baseball America's #1 catching prospect.
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Ramirez, LF
Sandoval, 3B
Napoli, 1B
Holt, RF
Bogaerts, SS
Swihart, C
OTM: "... also had Brett Gardner bring two runs home in an at bat that very easily could have ended on a strikeout a couple pitches earlier but for a rough call from the umpire."
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