NEW YORK — Instant reactions from the Red Sox’ 1-0 loss to the Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Friday:
1. Ceddanne Rafaela made an inexcusable base running mistake in the fifth inning, squandering Boston’s best scoring chance against Yankees ace Cam Schlittler.
With one out and two runners on base, Wilyer Abreu lined out to center fielder Trent Grisham, who threw to second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. attempting to double off Anthony Seigler, the runner at second. Seigler made it back safely. But Chisholm had enough time to throw to first base to double off Rafaela, the runner at first base. Rafaela was way too far off the bag for a ball hit 299 feet.
2. Rafaela got thrown out at the plate trying to score on Willson Contreras’ 262-foot fly ball to left field in the seventh. It’s debatable whether third base coach Chad Epperson should have sent Rafaela. The Red Sox hadn’t scored and struggling Adley Rutschman was on deck. That said, Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger ranks in the 96th percentile in arm strength (93.4 mph) and the 90th percentile in arm value (2).
It took an on-target 99.7 mph throw (per Statcast data) from Bellinger to cut down Rafaela. The double play ended the inning.
Rafaela said he went on his own. Epperson tried to hold him at third.
3. Adley Rutschman needs to pick it up offensively. He went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in this game. He’s 6 for 45 (.133) since the Red Sox traded for him. Boston acquired him for his ability to get on base at a high rate. But he’s reached just 12 times (six hits, six walks) in 51 plate appearances.
4. Give interim manager Chad Tracy credit for being aggressive when he saw an opportunity to win. It ultimately didn’t work but Tracy used three straight pinch hitters in the sixth inning after the Yankees removed Schlittler with one out and a runner at first.
Against lefty reliever Brent Headrick, Jahmai Jones pinch hit for Mickey Gasper, Eli White pinch hit for Jarren Duran and Andruw Monasterio pinch hit for Seigler.
Jones walked and White hit a soft infield single to load the bases. But Monasterio lined out to right field to end the inning with the Yankees ahead 1-0.
5. It’s no secret Red Sox starter Patrick Sandoval has allowed way too many runners. In eight starts coming into Friday, he had a 1.77 WHIP, giving up 52 hits and 18 doubles in 39 ⅔ innings.
So limiting the Yankees to three hits, four walks and one run over 5 ⅔ innings was a successful start for the lefty.
6. Greg Weissert has had a brutal time with inherited runners this season, letting 13 of 30 score. So he did an excellent job in the sixth inning when he replaced Sandoval with the bases loaded and one out. He got George Lombard Jr. to line out to right field and struck out Jazz Chisholm Jr. swinging to escape the jam without allowing anyone to score.
7. Schlittler has definitely added to the intensity of the rivalry. The Massachusetts native has been outspoken, saying things that have agitated Red Sox fans. But he backed up his words. He threw six scoreless innings Friday.
Across three regular season starts and one postseason start vs. Boston, he has allowed just two earned runs in 32 ⅓ innings, good for a 0.56 ERA.
This one wasn’t his best with five walks, but he pitched around it.
8. The Red Sox have tough roster decisions coming with Roman Anthony, Trevor Story and Isiah Kiner-Falefa returning. Kiner-Falefa probably won’t be activated until Sept. 1 when rosters expand from 26 to 28 players. That still leaves two players being optioned. Mickey Gasper is making it extremely tough on the front office to send him down. He walked twice against Schlittler. He’s reached base 11 times (two homers, one double, one single, seven walks) in four games on this current road trip.
9. Interim manager Chad Tracy described this as a gauntlet of a series for both teams. He’s right. There will be a day/night doubleheader Saturday. Red Sox rookie Jake Bennett will start the 1:05 p.m. game. Boston has yet to name the 7:15 p.m. starter. The Yankees announced that left-hander Carlos Rodón will start one of those two games. The other game is TBD.
More Red Sox coverage- Red Sox’ Ceddanne Rafaela on play at plate: ‘He was telling me to not go’
- Who won? Who cares? Savannah Bananas at Gillette was full of surprises for fans
- Red Sox injuries: Plans for Roman Anthony, Trevor Story, Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck
- Adley Rutschman (elbow) back in Red Sox lineup vs. Yankees on Friday
- Red Sox aren’t treating ‘gauntlet of series’ vs. Yankees with ‘the end of the world’ stakes
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