Sports

Torres, Odor Homer To Back Taillon As Yanks Beat Red Sox 9-1

July 18, 2021 / 11:25 PM EDT / CBS Boston

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NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres and Rougned Odor homered to back another strong start from Jameson Taillon as the depleted New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 9-1 on Sunday night.

Playing without All-Star slugger Aaron Judge and five of his teammates who also tested positive for COVID-19 recently, the Yankees won their second straight against rival Boston after dropping the first seven meetings this year.

New York won two of three in a series originally set for four games before Thursday's scheduled opener was postponed for testing and contact tracing. Boston, which has lost six of eight, left town with a half-game lead in the AL East over Tampa Bay, and seven in front of the fourth-place Yankees.

Taillon (5-4) pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings of four-hit ball in his 100th major league start, improving to 4-0 in his past five outings. Chad Green escaped a jam in the sixth to protect a three-run cushion.

Ryan LaMarre, just called up from the minors, added a two-run homer in the eighth — his first with the Yankees and first in the majors since September 2019.

DJ LeMahieu extended his on-base streak to 30 games, longest in the big leagues this season, with a single that set up a third-inning run.

New York's no-name outfield of LaMarre, Greg Allen and Trey Amburgey began the night with 12 career home runs — fewest for a Bronx Bombers starting outfield trio since June 10, 1991.

Not exactly Mantle, Maris and Berra — but not a problem on this night.

Torres hit his fifth homer on an 0-2 pitch from Martín Pérez (7-6) leading off the second. Torres also homered his last time up Saturday night in a 3-1 victory that was called after six innings because of heavy rain. That gave him long balls in consecutive games for the first time since a three-game streak in June 2019.

Odor reached on a bunt single leading off the fifth and scored on Greg Allen's sacrifice fly. He added a two-run homer in the seventh to make it 5-0.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Red Sox: 1B Christian Arroyo strained his left hamstring in the third when he went into a split stretching for a throw. He was replaced by Bobby Dalbec. It was the first career appearance at first base for Arroyo, who has played all the other infield positions. Before the game, manager Alex Cora said Arroyo had earned more playing time, and he and the team were comfortable with him at first base. ... OF/1B Danny Santana (left quadriceps strain) is expected to come off the injured list Monday after finishing a rehab assignment Sunday with Triple-A Worcester. ... All-Star SS Xander Bogaerts doubled twice after sitting out Saturday night with a sore left wrist. He was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth with Boston trailing 7-0.

Yankees: RHP Luis Severino threw 30 pitches to hitters, simulating two innings. "I thought he threw the ball really well. Looks strong, healthy," manager Aaron Boone said. Severino will likely face hitters again in five or six days before potentially beginning a minor league rehab assignment. He hasn't pitched in the majors since 2019 after having Tommy John surgery, and his return was slowed because of a groin injured sustained June 12 in a rehab appearance. ... Boone said RHP Darren O'Day's season is likely over due to a left hamstring injury. ... Boone said all six Yankees players who recently tested positive for the coronavirus are doing pretty well as far as symptoms are concerned. RHP Jonathan Loaisiga, one of those players on the COVID-19 injured list, was expected to fly to New York and rejoin the team by Tuesday, according to Boone. ... RHP Michael King (bruised right middle finger) still feels discomfort and won't throw for another five to seven days. ... Amburgey exited after four innings with a right hamstring cramp and was replaced in the lineup by Brett Gardner. ... A leaping LaMarre hit the right field wall with a loud thud trying to catch Christian Vázquez's fifth-inning double and was shaken up. LaMarre was checked by Boone and two athletic trainers, but remained in the game. LaMarre was called up from Triple-A before the game to replace OF Tim Locastro, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a torn right ACL.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: Shuffle off to Buffalo for the opener of a three-game series Monday night against the division-rival Blue Jays. RHP Nick Pivetta (7-4, 4.30 ERA) faces Toronto RHP Ross Stripling (3-5, 4.34).

Yankees: Following an off day, RHP Domingo Germán (4-5, 4.72 ERA) starts Tuesday night at home against Philadelphia RHP Aaron Nola (6-5, 4.53) in the opener of a two-game interleague series.