NEW YORK (AP) — Rafael Devers homered off rookie Luis Gil in the seventh inning and connected again in the ninth, leading the Boston Red Sox over the Yankees 3-0 Sunday night and sending New York to its 15th loss in 20 games.
Devers put Boston ahead on a 98.8 mph fastball from Gil (9-5), lifting the ball to the opposite field and into the first row of the left-field seats. He carried his bat up the first-base line before dropping it and completing a slow home run trot.
“He struck him out with a slider early in the game, took the first pitch fastball, he laid off a changeup and then he was able to get to that pitch,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “To go that way in this stadium is pretty impressive.”
Devers said his trot was unrelated to Alex Verdugo’s 32-second home run jog on Saturday.
“No I was not even thinking about that,” Devers said through a translator. “It was more of the moment like putting my team ahead in the seventh inning with the pitcher they had on the mound in the seventh inning, which he did a great job. So for me, it was a big moment for the team. So that’s why I celebrated.”
Selected for his third All-Star Game earlier Sunday, Devers added his 21st home run of the season in the ninth off Michael Tonkin, a drive into the Yankees bullpen in right-center.
“He’s definitely a guy that has performed incredibly well,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “Obviously a great player and we’d like to do a better job against him.”
Devers has 16 homers at Yankee Stadium and 28 against New York. He is hitting .463 (19 for 41) with seven homers and 10 RBIs in his last 10 games in the Bronx.
“We know what type of ballpark this is,” Devers said. “This is one of the best in the league. Everything feels better than any other ballpark.”
Rookie Ceddanne Rafaela homered in the eighth off Luke Weaver.
Boston has won six of seven and 16 of 22, improving to 14-1 on Sundays.
New York dropped to 13-16 against AL East rivals. The Yankees lost two of three to the Red Sox and are 0-6-1 in their last seven series, starting with when they lost two of three at Fenway Park from June 14-16.
“It’s tough,” New York right fielder Juan Soto said. “Everybody’s aware of what we’re going through but I think the energy is still up.”
The Yankees were shut out for the sixth time this season but the first since April 29. Boston has nine shutouts, two behind major league-leading Atlanta.
In a game that took just 2 hours, 23 minutes, Kutter Crawford (5-7) allowed four hits in seven innings for his third scoreless start this season. His 40 pitches through five innings were the fewest for a big league starter since Iván Nova’s 38 for Pittsburgh against Arizona on May 30, 2017.
“I feel that’s probably the most efficient I’ve ever been,” Crawford said. “A year or two out, I was probably throwing 30 or 40 pitches in one inning, but it feels good to throw a bunch of strikes and get a lot of early outs like that.”
Crawford made first-pitch strikes to 17 of 23 hitters and threw 54 of 68 pitches for strikes overall.
Gil lost his fourth straight outing after opening the season 9-1. He entered with an 14.90 ERA in his previous three outings.
Gil allowed only Devers’ homer among four hits over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out nine and walked none for the first time in his big career. He threw a season-high 34 sliders out of 96 pitches and allowed one run or fewer for the 11th time.
Boston was 1 for 10 with five strikeouts against Gil’s slider and 3 for 12 against the right-hander’s fastball.
Devers made a barehanded pickup at third on DJ LeMahieu’s grounder to end a scoreless eighth for Justin Slaten. Kenley Jansen struck out Aaron Judge on a 94 mph cutter for his 18th save in 19 chances, the 438th of his big league career, surpassing Francisco Rodríguez for sole possession of fifth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: 1B Triston Casas (strained left rib) took 25 swings on Saturday and is at 75% according to Cora
Yankees: 2B Gleyber Torres (groin) was held out of the lineup for the second straight game and is expected to return Tuesday at Tampa Bay.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: RHP Bryan Bello (8-5, 5.19 ERA) opposes Oakland RHP Joey Estes (3-3, 4.39) in the opener of a three-game series Tuesday at Fenway Park.
Yankees: LHP Carlos Rodón (9-6, 4.45) faces RHP Ryan Pepiot (4-5, 4.40) in the first gamer of a three-game series at Tampa Bay on Tuesday.
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