Porcello, Red Sox Blank Yankees
BOSTON -- Rick Porcello tossed seven scoreless innings and struck out six, Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. drove in three runs apiece and the Boston Red Sox routed the New York Yankees 8-0 on Saturday night at Fenway Park.
Porcello (5-0) allowed five hits and a walk en route to his fifth straight win to open the season as Boston (14-10) has a chance to sweep a three-game series with its bitter rival in Sunday night's nationally-televised finale.
The Red Sox won Friday's opener 4-2 thanks to a late two-run homer from David Ortiz, who sent another ball into the stands Saturday with a solo shot.
Bradley had three hits and a pair of run-scoring triples, his team-leading third and fourth of the season, to give him nine RBIs in his last seven games.
Brock Holt also had an RBI for Boston, which pounded out 13 hits.
Michael Pineda (1-3) lasted just five innings, giving up two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out three for New York (8-14).
Pineda has coughed up 11 runs on 22 hits over his last three starts.
Brian McCann had two of his team's five hits as the Yankees lost their fourth in a row.
Bradley's first triple rolled to the center field triangle and Betts' infield single the next at-bat brought him in as the Red Sox doubled their lead to 4-0 in the sixth.
An inning later, Ortiz cleared the bullpens in right field with his blast and Holt reached on an error to score another run before Bradley Jr. laced a two-run triple down the line in right.
Betts' two-out bloop double in the second inning plated two to give Boston an early lead.
Porcello kept the Yankees bats silent early on and flashed his glove in the fifth, diving behind the bag at third to stop an errant throw from Red Sox left fielder Brock Holt.
Didi Gregorious took advantage of the shift on Chase Headley's single that deflected off Boston third baseman Travis Shaw's glove and rolled into left field, advancing to third after a foot race to the unattended base with Shaw, who was stationed at shortstop.
Holt's throw sailed past Shaw, but Porcello's potentially run-saving dive kept it in play.
Porcello got Jacoby Ellsbury to ground out in the next at-bat to squash the threat.
NOTES: New York's .236 team batting average ranked 23rd, and its 74 runs scored were the second-fewest in the majors entering Saturday. Boston's .277 average ranked second, and its 118 runs were tied for sixth. ... Yankees 3B Chase Headley, hitting .140 (8-for-57) coming in, was dropped to the bottom of the batting order. ... New York's starting outfield of LF Brett Gardner, CF Jacoby Ellsbury, and RF Carlos Beltran have committed just one error on 92 chances over 478 combined innings in 21 games. ... Boston recalled INF Marco Hernandez from Triple-A Pawtucket and optioned RHP Pat Light to Pawtucket before Saturday's game. ... Red Sox RHP Carson Smith (right elbow strain) was schedule to make a second rehab appearance for Double-A Portland against Reading on Saturday. Smith struck out one in two-thirds of an inning against Reading on Friday and is expected to be available early next week. ... Yankees RHP Nathan Eovaldi (1-2, 4.38 ERA) opposes Red Sox LHP David Price (3-0, 5.76) in Sunday's series finale.