Yankees at Red Sox
Alex Rodriguez made history and the New York Yankees are getting the better of the rival Boston Red Sox. The Yankees will try to gain the upper hand and clinch a series win when they visit the Red Sox for the second of a three-game series on Saturday.
Rodriguez was not in the starting lineup for Friday’s series opener but came on as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning and slugged his 660th career home run into the seats above the “Green Monster” to put New York on top in the 3-2 triumph. The Yankees organization has been slow to embrace the disgraced slugger’s drive toward Willie Mays, but Rodriguez’s six homers and 14 RBIs on the season are a big part of the club’s 14-9 start. The Red Sox are losers of six of their last nine and are now tied 2-2 in the season series with the Yankees. Boston went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base on Friday.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, MLB Network, YES (New York), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Nathan Eovaldi (1-0, 4.15 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Wade Miley (1-2, 8.62)
Eovaldi had a difficult time following up his best start of the season when he was reached for four runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings against the New York Mets on Sunday. The 25-year-old struck out six without walking a batter in that outing and has 20 strikeouts and five walks on the season. Eovaldi faced Boston on Apr. 10 and allowed three runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings without factoring in the decision.
Miley failed to make it through the third inning for the second time in four starts when he was blasted by Baltimore on Sunday. The Louisiana native surrendered seven runs – six earned – on five hits and two walks without notching a strikeout. Miley went up against Eovaldi on Apr. 10 and struck out a season-high six while allowing two runs and four hits in 5 1/3 frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox C Ryan Hanigan (hand) had to leave Friday’s game and is out indefinitely.
2. Rodriguez is 1-for-3 with an RBI in his career against Miley.
3. Boston RHP Junichi Tazawa has surrendered a home run in three of his last four appearances.