G31: Red Sox 5, Yankees 1

Red Sox - 200 100 110 - 5  7  0
Yankees - 000 000 001 - 1  3  1

Steven Wright (9-3-1-1-6, 98) pitched the first complete game of his major league career, easily defeating the Yankees and denying New York a sweep of the three-game weekend series*. Wright, who began the night #3 in the American League in ERA and #4 in fewest hits allowed per 9 innings, lowered his ERA to 1.52.

*: The Yankees' longest winning streak this season is two.

Boston slugged four home runs: David Ortiz hit two, and Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts each hit one. The Red Sox (18-13) stayed 0.5 GB the Orioles in the East, while the Last-Place Yankees ("LPY") sank to 6.5 GB.

Boston got on the board right away when Mookie Betts walked on four pitches and Pedroia drilled a full-count pitch to right-center for an opposite-field dong.

Ortiz went deep in the fourth and seventh innings, taking sole possession of 2nd place on the Red Sox's All-Time HR list with 454. (Does he really have to retire in five months?) And with 512 career homers, Ortiz is tied for #22 on MLB's All-Time list with Ernie Banks and Eddie Matthews. Just above him in his sights, tied for 19th, are Ted Williams, Willie McCovey, and Frank Thomas with 521.

Boston tried to tack on some extra runs with two outs in the seventh when Brock Holt singled and Jackie Bradley hit a ground-rule double, but Ryan Hanigan struck out. Bogaerts connected for his second homer of the year in the eighth.

Wright was economical throughout the game, throwing 31 pitches through three innings, 53 through five and 72 through seven. With two outs in the first, Brian McCann dumped a single into left field in front of Holt and New York did not get another hit until Starlin Castro doubled to open the seventh. Castro went to third when McCann flied to Betts. With Mark Teixeira at the plate, Wright's 1-0 pitch eluded Hanigan a little bit and Castro stupidly came too far down the third base line. Hanigan easily threw him out as he tried to get back to third base.

Wright retired the first two hitters in the bottom of the ninth, but Brett Gardner drilled a 2-1 fastball for a solo homer to ruin Wright's bid for a shutout. In the end, Wright faced 29 batters, only two over the minimum.

The Red Sox return home for a three-game series against Oakland starting tomorrow night.

Steven Wright / Luis Severino

Betts, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Ramirez, 1B
Shaw, 3B
Holt, LF
Bradley, CF
Hanigan, C

Steven Wright has been absolutely essential to the Red Sox rotation. Five starts, 1.67 ERA.

Luis Severino is one of the Yankees' top young pitchers - 2.89 ERA in 11 starts last season - but over five starts in 2016, his ERA is a Price-like 6.31.