 pitched well against Boston again to win his fourth consecutive decision overall. New York got four shutout innings from its deep and dominant bullpen, handing the defending World Series champions their third loss in a row.Despite a rash of injuries, the Yankees hold a 1 1/2-game lead in the AL East over Tampa Bay - and a widening gap on the Red Sox. New York has won all three meetings between the longtime rivals this season, beating Sale (1-7) twice and outscoring Boston 17-4.Rafael Devers homered early for the third-place Red Sox, who fell 8 1/2 games back in the division. That's the furthest they've been behind the Yankees since finishing the 2015 season nine games in the dust.New York has won nine of 11 overall and is 31-10 since a 6-9 start.Sale found his fastball after an April 16 loss at Yankee Stadium left him 0-4 in four starts. He allowed only 12 earned runs in his next seven outings and entered this one with a whopping 56 strikeouts in May.But after the teams were rained out the previous night, Sale was touched up for four runs and seven hits in six innings Friday, pounding his fist into his glove in frustration after LeMahieu's opposite-field homer cleared the right-center fence in the fifth. The left-hander struck out 10 for a sixth double-digit strikeout game in his past eight starts.A pumped-up LeMahieu also doubled off the right-center wall in the third, driving in New York's first run following singles by Gio Urshela and Brett Gardner.The 30-year-old Sale, who signed a $160 million, six-year contract in March, leads the majors in losses. He came in with a 1.87 ERA in 18 regular-season games (15 starts) against the Yankees, the lowest mark against the team in the Live Ball Era for any pitcher with at least 100 innings versus New York.Happ gave up one run and three hits in five innings, improving to 9-4 against Boston.Adam Ottavino, Tommy Kahnle, Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman each worked an inning to finish the five-hitter. Chapman struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 16th save.TRAINER'S ROOMRed Sox: RHP Nathan Eovaldi threw 22 pitches to teammates Brock Holt and Michael Chavis in a simulated game, the first hitters Eovaldi has faced since April 23 surgery to remove a loose body from his right elbow. His next step will be determined Saturday. ... 1B Steve Pearce, the 2018 World Series MVP, was pulled in the second inning with back spasms and replaced by Chavis. ... LHP Eduardo Rodriguez was available out of the bullpen after being rescheduled to start Tuesday in Kansas City. Prior to Thursday night's rainout, Rodriguez (5-3, 5.04 ERA) was slated to start Friday. But the Red Sox pushed back Sale into that spot.Yankees: CC Sabathia (right knee inflammation) is set to come off the injured list and start the series finale Sunday night against LHP David Price. ... RHP Dellin Betances (right shoulder impingement) played long toss and said his arm felt good following Thursday's bullpen. His third bullpen is scheduled for Sunday and if that goes well, the next step could be facing hitters. ... Didi Gregorius (Tommy John surgery) went 0 for 5 and played all nine innings at shortstop in a rehab game with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. ... OF Giancarlo Stanton, sidelined since March 31, is getting close to facing pitching and starting a rehab assignment, manager Aaron Boone said. ... RF Aaron Judge (left oblique strain) worked out in the outfield again and is hitting off a tee. ''Definitely has started the ramp up, but not hitting full bore in the cage yet,'' Boone said. ''But he's letting it go a little bit and everything's gone well with that.'' Judge has been out since April 21.UP NEXTRed Sox: RHP Rick Porcello (4-4, 4.41 ERA) is 4-1 with a 2.94 ERA in his last eight starts, and Boston has won seven of them. The 2016 AL Cy Young Award winner, from nearby New Jersey, is 10-8 with a 3.11 ERA in 22 games versus the Yankees. He went 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in four starts against them last year - and also won a playoff series clincher at Yankee Stadium.Yankees: RHP Domingo German (9-1, 3.43) leads the majors in wins. He won six straight starts before getting tagged for a career-high seven runs and nine hits, including four homers, over five innings Sunday in a no-decision at Kansas City.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Front-running Yankees ready for rival Red SoxFLMWhile the Boston Red Sox own a winning record, there is a sizable gap between them and the New York Yankees in the American League East Division.The Red Sox get their next chance to close the gap with the Yankees on Friday for a three-game series after the forecast of heavy rain at Yankee Stadium led to the postponement of a four-game series opener on Thursday. The postponed game will be part of a day-night doubleheader on Aug. 3.J. A. Happ (4-3, 5.09 ERA) will start for New York against Boston's Chris Sale (1-6, 4.19)The Yankees won both meetings last month, roughing up Sale in an 8-0 win on April 16 and rallying late for a 5-3 victory the following night. The Yankees entered that series with nine losses in their first 15 games, but getting two wins over the Red Sox triggered a hot streak that has lifted New York into first place.Since their 6-9 start, the Yankees are 30-10 in their last 40 games and hold a 7 1/2-game lead over third-place Boston and one game over second-place Tampa Bay.The Yankees won their eighth straight series when they hit four homers in a 7-0 win over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday afternoon.New York heads into Friday 13-3 in its last 16 games and has scored at least five runs in 10 its last 11 games after DJ LeMahieu, Luke Voit, Gio Urshela and Gleyber Torres homered Wednesday.The Yankees have held first place since May 19 and even if they are not constantly checking the standings, they are aware of what can be achieved this weekend."Obviously this is a big series for us to help our lead in first place and we're going to do whatever we can," Voit said. "It's the best rivalry in baseball. So we're so excited. We haven't seen these guys in a while. So it's going to be a lot of fun this weekend." Last season, Boston won the division by eight games en route to its fourth championship since the start of the 2004 season, but is off to a slow start in 2019. The Red Sox left New York with a 6-13 record and are 23-14 since."It doesn't feel like we're there yet," Boston manager Alex Cora said. "We want it to be somewhere else of course record wise but I think the last month we've been playing consistent baseball." Boston reached the .500 mark on May 8, is 10-8 since then and enters Friday at 29-27."It's an important series, we know that," Cora said. "Like I said, yesterday, we just got to play better." The Red Sox are hoping to avoid a third straight loss after taking a 14-9 defeat to the Cleveland Indians Wednesday, a night after blowing a late lead in a 7-5 setback.After getting short outings from starters Ryan Weber and David Price (due to a lengthy rain delay Tuesday), the Red Sox are hoping Sale can continue some recent improvement.Although Sale owns a subpar record, he is pitching better of late. Sale is 1-1 with a 2.23 ERA in his last five starts and owns a 2.44 ERA in seven starts since allowing four runs on seven hits in five innings against the Yankees in a performance he described as "embarrassing." Sale last pitched on Friday in Houston when he allowed four runs (two earned) on three hits in six innings of a 4-3 loss. Sale threw 89 pitches Friday after throwing at least 100 pitches in his previous five starts.The left-hander is 6-5 with a 1.87 ERA in 18 career regular-season appearances (15 starts) against the Yankees. He also is 2-3 with a 2.36 ERA in nine appearances (eight starts) at Yankee Stadium.Happ is 3-0 with a 5.40 ERA in his last four starts.Happ last pitched Saturday in Kansas City when he carried a shutout into the sixth and allowed three runs, four hits and struck out 10 in six innings.The left-hander is 8-4 with a 3.05 ERA in 22 regular-season appearances (21 starts) against the Red Sox.--Field Level Media
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