Red Sox Defeat Yankees, Take 7.5-Game Lead In AL East
BOSTON (AP) — Rick Porcello pitched a one-hitter, Steve Pearce homered for the fourth time in two nights and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 4-1 Friday after manager Alex Cora's ejection to open a season-high 7½-game lead in the AL East.
Miguel Andujar's leadoff homer in the third was the only hit allowed by Porcello (13-4), who matched his season high with nine strikeouts and walked none. He needed only 86 pitches in his first complete game this season. Porcello got defensive backing in the ninth when Jackie Bradley Jr. made a leaping grab at the center-field wall of a Neil Walker drive for the second out.
Cora was ejected one pitch into the bottom of the first. Porcello hit Brett Gardner with an 0-2 pitch starting the game, and New York's Luis Severino (14-5) answered with a high-and-inside fastball when Mookie Betts led off the bottom half. Plate umpire Adam Hamari warned both dugouts, and Cora ran out to argue.
Cora had barely made it to the tunnel before Andrew Benintendi doubled and Pearce, who homered three times Thursday, hit a two-run drive. Eduardo Nunez added an RBI single.
Severino (14-5) pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs, seven hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings, dropping to 0-3 in his last four starts. New York has lost three straight games for only the second time this year; Tampa Bay swept the Yankees from June 22-24.
Mitch Moreland added an RBI single in the fifth for Boston, which has won six of seven.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: RF Aaron Judge (broken right wrist) is getting closer to swinging a bat again, manager Aaron Boone said. Judge, out since taking a fastball from Kansas City right-hander Jakob Junis on July 26, could take some swings later this weekend in Boston or next week when the Yankees visit the Chicago White Sox, Boone said.
Red Sox: Ian Kinsler started at second base, but left after straining his left hamstring while scoring a run after walking in the first inning. Mookie Betts moved from right field to second base, his first appearance there since 2014. ... C Blake Swihart went on the 10-day DL with a strained right hamstring.
UP NEXT:
Yankees: RHP Chance Adams is scheduled to make his major league debut Saturday. RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-4, 3.80 ERA) gets his second start for Boston since he was acquired from Tampa Bay. Eovaldi threw seven scoreless innings to beat Minnesota in his Red Sox debut.
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