Tommy Pham and Rafael Devers combined for five of Boston’s six hits and Michael Wacha allowed just two hits through seven shutout innings as the Red Sox beat the visiting New York Yankees 3-0 on Sunday night.
Pham went 3-for-4 with a double and scored two runs, while Devers hit a two-run home run as part of his 2-for-4 effort. Xander Bogaerts drove in Boston’s first run in the first inning.
Pham has hit safely in seven straight games and scored a run in eight of 12 since joining the Red Sox from Cincinnati on Aug. 1.
Wacha, who was reinstated from the 15-day injured list (right shoulder inflammation) before the game, turned in one of Boston’s best starts this season as he struck out nine and walked just one.
Boston has won three of its last four.
Andrew Benintendi and Miguel Andujar had the only hits for the Yankees, who were shut out for the ninth time this season and fell to 3-9 in August.
New York starter Jameson Taillon (11-3) suffered his first loss since July 5 despite scattering just six hits and three runs through seven innings.
The Red Sox got to Taillon quickly as Pham’s leadoff double to center and back-to-back grounders by Devers and Bogaerts produced a first-inning run.
Wacha, meanwhile, didn’t allow a baserunner or a hit until Andujar lined a two-out single to center in the fifth.
After Andujar stole second and Isiah Kiner-Falefa walked to put two Yankees aboard, Wacha escaped the threat when Devers made a diving stop on Kyle Higashioka’s grounder down the third base line.
Devers broke a 0-for-8 drought with his third-inning single and extended Boston’s lead to 3-0 in the sixth with a two-run homer over the bullpens in right. It was his 25th blast of the season.
After Wacha’s stellar outing, Ryan Brasier and Garrett Whitlock both pitched clean frames to preserve the eighth Red Sox shutout of the season.
Whitlock fanned two en route to his fourth save.
–Field Level Media
