Yankees bats struggle in Game 1 doubleheader loss to Red Sox
BOSTON — Perhaps the Yankees would have been better off if it had just kept raining.
After Saturday’s washout followed Friday’s stinker, the Yankees did not turn their fortunes around Sunday afternoon, falling in the first game of a doubleheader, 6-2, to the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
After taking a 2-0 lead to the fifth inning, things quickly unraveled for the Yankees, with the Red Sox getting to Clarke Schmidt for a pair before the usually dependable Michael King blew a tie game in the sixth.
The Yankees’ offense, meanwhile, continued to struggle without Aaron Judge, mustering just four hits against the Red Sox (36-35), who breezed through a bullpen game.
It resulted in the Yankees (39-32) losing for the seventh time in their last 10 games entering Sunday’s nightcap.
Yankees reliever Michael King pitching against the Red Sox in Game 1 of a doubleheader on June 18, 2023. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post
After coming on for Schmidt to record the final out of the fifth inning, King got two quick outs in the sixth before the Red Sox got to him for four straight hits, peppering the Green Monster to take a 5-2 lead.
Enrique Hernandez got it started with an infield single to first base before Connor Wong roped a double off the Monster just out of the reach of a leaping Jake Bauers.
Hernandez scored all the way from first, though a potential close play at the plate was wiped out when Anthony Rizzo cut off the relay throw home.
Yankees DH Giancarlo Stanton reacts after striking out in the sixth inning in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Red Sox. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post
Alex Verdugo then followed with another double off the Monster before Justin Turner lofted a single to left-center to make it 5-2.
After giving up just six runs in his first 32 ²/₃ innings (19 games) this season, King has been tagged for six runs over his last 5 ²/₃ innings (four games).
The Yankees never threatened to mount a comeback as their biggest bats remained silent.
Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu reacts after striking out in the sixth inning in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Red Sox. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post
Gleyber Torres got the Yankees off to a good start by belting a two-run homer to the Green Monster seats in the top of the first inning.
His 12th homer of the season, and third in his last eight games, came after Bauers led off the game with a ground-rule double against opener Kaleb Ort.
But after Torres’ blast, the Yankees did not record another hit until Bauers led off the sixth inning with another double against left-hander Chris Murphy, knocking him out of the game.
Bauers was stranded at second, though, as the heart of the Yankees order (Giancarlo Stanton, Torres and Rizzo) was unable to drive him in against right-hander Nick Pivetta.
Source: New York Post
