New York @ Boston preview
Fenway Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 23, 2021 ) NY Yankees 2, Boston 6
Nathan Eovaldi will look to pitch the Boston Red Sox to yet another series victory against the rival Yankees as Boston hosts New York in the third of a four-game set Saturday afternoon.
The Red Sox improved to 9-2 against the Yankees this season with a 6-2 victory Friday. New York earned its first two wins in 2021 over the Red Sox at home last weekend and had won four straight overall before dropping back-to-back games in Boston.
"(It's) very frustrating. We understand where we are in the season and the calendar. We know how important it is that we play really well," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "I don't think anything's changed there -- I still feel like we're playing really well."
Boston earned its 31st come-from-behind win after erasing a 1-0 deficit with a three-run fifth that included Rafael Devers' go-ahead two-run homer. Devers added a three-run blast in the seventh to cap his five-RBI night.
"We didn't win the game early on, but we were winning innings and that's what you've got to do against (teams) like that," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "Win every pitch, (their) pitch count was getting up and then we put the big swing."
Eovaldi (9-5, 3.57 ERA) will face his former team for the third time in five starts. The All-Star right-hander gave up a run on two hits with seven strikeouts over five innings in a 3-1 loss at New York last Saturday, but he didn't figure in the decision.
In his June 26 home start against the Yankees, Eovaldi allowed one run on seven hits while walking none and striking out six over 7 2/3 innings in a 4-2 win.
Eovaldi, who pitched two seasons with New York from 2015-16, is 3-2 with a 2.88 ERA in 12 career appearances (nine starts) against the Yankees.
The Yankees will counter with right-hander Jameson Taillon (5-4, 4.60) on the mound.
Taillon has performed well in two starts against the Red Sox this season, posting a 1-0 record and giving up three earned runs over 10 2/3 innings.
In New York's 9-1 rout of Boston last Sunday, Taillon tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings while allowing four hits and two walks with three strikeouts. He allowed three runs on six hits with a walk and three punchouts over 5 1/3 innings in a 7-3 loss to Boston on June 5.
Over three career starts against the Red Sox, Taillon has gone 1-0 with a 1.53 ERA.
DJ LeMahieu remains a bright spot for the Yankees as the All-Star second baseman went 1-for-5 on Friday to extend his major league-leading on-base streak to 33 games.
The status of New York catcher Gary Sanchez is up in the air after he exited Friday's game following the fifth inning with a back injury. Boone said Sanchez received treatment after the game and would be a game-day decision.
--Field Level Media