Wright Tosses Complete Game In Red Sox Win Against Yankees
NEW YORK -- Steven Wright confounded the New York Yankees with his knuckleball by pitching a three-hitter and leading the Boston Red Sox to a 5-1 victory Sunday night.
Wright (3-3) picked up his third win in his many appearances in New York by working quickly and efficiently. He was at 85 pitches through the eighth inning and finished off his first complete game by throwing 16 more pitches in the ninth.
The right-hander struck out seven, walked one and threw 66 of 101 pitches for strikes. He nearly became the first Red Sox pitch a nine-inning shutout at New York since Jon Lester on July 3 but gave up a two-out home run to Brett Gardner.
Wright gave up a single to Brian McCann with two outs in the first inning and did not give up another until Starlin Castro began the seventh with a double off the right-field wall. Castro was erased for the second out of the inning when he was caught off third base and Wright ended the inning by fielding Mark Teixeira's soft liner after having the ball go off his glove.
David Ortiz hit solo home runs in consecutive at-bats and Dustin Pedroia added a two-run home run off Luis Severino (0-5) as the Red Sox won for the 10th time in 14 games. Xander Bogaerts added a solo shot in the seventh off Chasen Shreve.
Those drives were enough for Wright, who completed six innings before the game reached the two-hour mark. After getting the win in Boston's 19-inning victory in New York on April 10, 2015, Wright has allowed one run and six hits over 17 innings in his last two appearances at Yankee Stadium.
The Red Sox went up 10 pitches into the game on Pedroia's fifth home run of the season with none out in the first inning.
With one out in the fourth, Ortiz passed Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski for second place on Boston's all-time home run list with his 453rd since becoming a Red Sox in 2003. He recorded his 51st career multi-home run game when he opened the seventh with a long drive into the right-center-field seats.
Severino allowed four runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings. He gave up a career-high three home runs and has allowed three home runs to Ortiz in the five times they have faced each other.
The Red Sox took a 2-0 lead 10 pitches in when Pedroia drove a full-count fastball just over the right field wall for his fifth home run. After Severino retired the next 10 hitters, Ortiz made it 3-0 when he sent a 2-2 pitch into the right-center field bleachers with one out in the fourth.
Wright allowed a two-out single to Brian McCann in the first and walked Dustin Ackley in the second. He retired Aaron Hicks on an inning-ending double play in the second and quickly retired the next nine hitters.
NOTES: CF Jacoby Ellsbury (strained right hip) missed his second consecutive game, and Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he is unlikely to play Monday. ... Boston LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (right patellar subluxation) allowed three runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings Sunday during his third rehab start with Triple-A Pawtucket. Rodriguez will meet with manager John Farrell on Monday, and it is possible his next start could be in the majors. ... Boston RHP Joe Kelly (right shoulder impingement) will make his second rehab start for Pawtucket on Wednesday. His pitch count will be increased to 80-85. ... Yankees LHP Aroldis Chapman held a 13-minute press conference before the game as his 30-game suspension for domestic violence ended Sunday. Chapman said through an interpreter: "I'm super excited and happy that the manager has given me the honor of being the closer."