G92: Yankees 3, Red Sox 0

Yankees - 000 210 000 - 3 12  0
Red Sox - 000 000 000 - 0  4  1

CC Sabathia (6-2-0-5-3, 97) walked a few more batters than he would have liked, but otherwise dominated the Boston bats. The Red Sox have scored only one run in their last 25 innings, and they have a mere four hits over their last 14 innings.

The Yankees loaded the bases with one out in the fourth against Rick Porcello (6-9-3-0-6, 105) on two singles and an error by Xander Bogaerts. Ji-Man Choi flied out to left. Andrew Benintendi's throw to the plate was cut off and Didi Gregorius slid across with the day's first run. Ronald Torreyes singled to left, scoring Clint Frazier from second base. Benintendi's throw was slightly to the third base side of the plate and Sandy Leon was a fraction of a second too late with his tag.

Brett Gardner was hit on the right arm, but he clearly leaned into the pitch and kept his arm in the path of the ball. That is against the rules, something that both Porcello and manager John Farrell told home plate umpire Gabe Morales. However, Morales refused to enforce Rule 5.05(b)* and the Yankees had reloaded the bases. Thankfully, Chase Headley ended the inning with a grounder to first. (Both runs were unearned.)

* Rule 5.05(b): "The batter becomes a runner and is entitled to first base without liability to be put out (provided he advances to and touches first base) when ... (2) He is touched by a pitched ball which he is not attempting to hit unless (A) The ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, or (B) The batter makes no attempt to avoid being touched by the ball ...

It is frustrating when the umpires pick and choose which rules to enforce during a game. Plus, they are not consistent with the rules they selectively enforce. Those can change depending on the inning and team at bat.

Before the Yankees took a lead, though, Sam Travis led off the bottom of the second with a double into the left field corner. With one out, Travis tried scoring from third on Deven Marerro's chopper to the right of the mound. Sabathia was in his follow-through and had to leap a little bit, but he made the throw and Travis was tagged out. Marrero stole second and Sandy Leon walked, but Tzu-Wei Lin grounded to first.

In the fourth, Travis walked and went to second on a wild pitch (with only one out). Jackie Bradley struck out and Marrero grounded to second.

The Yankees added a run in the fifth when Didi Gregorius hit a high changeup down the right field line for his 11th home run of the year.

Boston had men at first and third with one out in the fifth. Bogaerts flied to short right and Sabathia struck out Benintendi.

The Red Sox faced Aroldis Chapman in the ninth. Brock Holt grounded to shortstop. Hanley Ramirez (pinch-hitting for Leon) struck out looking. Ramirez was miffed, believing that strike 2 was outside (and maybe too high) and strike three was too low. NESN's small strike zone graphic made it look like Ramirez had a case, but I have more faith in BrooksBaseball's zones, which had Morales calling both pitches correctly:

Dustin Pedroia singled to right-center, but Mookie Betts grounded out to second.

CC Sabathia / Rick Porcello

Betts, RF
Bogaerts, SS
Benintendi, LF
Young, DH
Travis, 1B
Bradley, CF
Marrero, 3B
Leon, C
Lin, 2B

Also: Blaine Boyer was placed on the disabled list and Austin Maddox was recalled. Brock Holt will be the 26th man for today's doubleheader.