SPLIT SHOW
Judge robbed of HR as Yanks fail to win series vs. Red Sox
Aaron Judge watches Jackie Bradley Jr. (inset) make an amazing catch to rob him of a home run during the eighth inning of the Yankees’ 3-0 loss to the Red Sox in the nightcap of a doubleheader on Sunday at Fenway Park. CC Sabathia pitched six shutout innings to lead the Bombers to a 3-0 win in Game 1.
BOSTON — Considering it started with Aroldis Chapman flushing a victory Friday night via a ninth-inning walk to open a crucial three-city road trip splitting four against the Red Sox wasn’t an awful way for the Yankees to spend a long weekend at Fenway Park.
After riding CC Sabathia and the bullpen to a 3-0 victory in the first game of Sunday’s two-gate doubleheader Red Sox lefty David Price smothered the Yankees’ bats in the nightcap to lead the hosts to a 3-0 victory in front of 36,719.
When the Yankees rolled into New England’s living room after the All Star break they were 3 ½ games behind the AL East-leading Red Sox and the deficit will be the same when they open a three-game series against the Twins in Minneapolis on Monday night.
“We gave one away and we probably stole one. We scored a run off their closer, and they scored a couple off our closer and we ended up, 2-2,’’ manager Joe Girardi said after watching 43 innings of baseball in four days. “I thought we played pretty well and pitched pretty well. We are going in the right direction and part of that is getting our bullpen back on track.’’
Price’s solid night wouldn’t have been as good if not for center fielder Jackie Bradley, Jr. jumping high enough to get his glove over the center-field wall and rob the slumping Aaron Judge (1-for-18) of what would have been a two-run homer in the eighth.
Masahiro Tanaka was significantly better than the previous out- ing when he lasted 4 ¹/3 innings against the Brewers on July 9 at Yankee Stadium. Nevertheless, giving up three runs and eight hits in 7 2/3 frames was enough to beat Tanaka and send him to a 7-9 record.
Of the eight hits Tanaka gave up, a two-run homer to Mookie Betts off a cement-mixer slider hurt the most. The other run was gifted by bad throws by second baseman Starlin Castro and first baseman Garrett Cooper in the sixth.
“Overall, I think I did pretty well, the stuff was there. But that one hanging slider you want to get that back,’’ said Tanaka, who explained the slider had no bite.
After losing Friday night the Yankees won, 4-1, in 16 innings Saturday and the first game of Sunday’s twin bill, 3-0. Cutting deeper into the Red Sox’s lead with a win in the nightcap would have certainly been preferred, but after Friday’s debacle a split isn’t the worst scenario.
Nothing in Price’s history against the Yankees indicated he was about to dominate. But Price allowed seven hits and eight strike outs in eight innings and has won three straight and is 5-2. Craig Kimbrel recorded the final three outs for his 24th save but not without ninth-inning drama.
Didi Gregorius doubled with one out and pinch-hitter Brett Gardner walked with two outs. Chase Headley hit for Ronald Torreyes but Headley whiffed to end the threat.
The Yankees didn’t lose ground to the Red Sox but Judge wanted to pull closer.
“Not good. We wanted to come out, especially with Boston in first place, and try to shorten that lead a little bit,’’ Judge said. “But we came out 2-2. Now we go onto Minnesota and try to keep winning.’’