Field Level Media
Aug 19, 2023
Kutter Crawford pitched six outstanding innings, while Luis Urias hit a grand slam and Connor Wong a two-run homer off ace Gerrit Cole as the visiting Boston Red Sox routed the struggling New York Yankees 8-1 on Saturday afternoon.
The Red Sox beat the Yankees for the sixth straight time and lead the season series 7-1 thanks to Crawford's stellar outing and the unlikely offense from their eighth- and ninth-place hitters.
Crawford (6-6) allowed five baserunners and no-hit the Yankees for 5 1/3 innings until Aaron Judge homered for the second straight game. The right-hander struck out five, walked two and ended his outing by fanning Giancarlo Stanton to cap a 10-pitch at-bat.
Before Judge homered, the closest Crawford came to allowing a hit occurred when Greg Allen reached on a fielding error by first baseman Justin Turner in the third. Allen reached base three times and got New York's second hit in the seventh.
The Yankees lost a seventh straight game for the first time since Sept. 4-10, 2021.
Cole (10-4) allowed the second grand slam of his career when Urias hit the right-hander's first-pitch cutter into the visiting bullpen in left field in the second. Cole allowed his other slam to Curtis Granderson on Aug. 21, 2017, against the Los Angeles Dodgers when he pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
After Pablo Reyes singled, Wong took Cole deep two batters into the fourth by hitting a 3-2 fastball to the short porch in right field.
After allowing Wong's homer, Cole gazed toward right field in disbelief. Cole tied a season high by allowing six runs for the third time and gave up seven hits over four innings in his shortest start this season.
The Red Sox extended their lead to 7-1 on a ground-rule double by Reyes in the eighth that sailed over Allen's head and bounced into the stands. Boston made it 8-1 when Rafael Devers crushed his 28th homer -- a 440-foot blast -- on a 3-0 sinker to open the ninth.
--Field Level Media