BOSTON – After a series victory over the National League-leading Philadelphia Phillies, the Boston Red Sox will look to continue the momentum against the American League-leading New York Yankees as a three-game set begins Friday night. The AL East archrivals will be meeting for the first time this season. The series opener in Boston will be the 70th game for the Red Sox and the 72nd for the Yankees.
The Red Sox have won three of their past four games after winning the final two games of the three-game series against the Phillies. Tyler O’Neill hit a three-run home run while Jarren Duran and Enmanuel Valdez hit two doubles apiece to power Boston to a 9-3 win on Thursday.
“We’ve got a good team,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We’re gonna lose some games and we’re gonna win some games. I know everybody thought the must-win was Sunday in Chicago (against the White Sox) because they have the worst record in baseball. We don’t see it that way. We show up every day and work hard.”
The Red Sox had 14 hits in the finale against Philadelphia, including five straight during a four-run second inning against Phillies ace Aaron Nola. Duran, whose two-run double capped the frame, produced his seventh game with multiple extra-base hits this season.
“We were finding barrels and hitting the ball hard,” O’Neill said. “It was awesome to see.”
Brayan Bello (6-3, 4.78 ERA) is scheduled to start for Boston on Friday. He took a loss Saturday against the White Sox after allowing five runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Bello is 2-2 with a 1.45 ERA in five career starts against New York.
The Yankees’ four-game winning streak was snapped with a 4-3, walk-off loss to the Kansas City Royals on Thursday. New York also saw its eight-game road win streak come to an end.
Kansas City was up 2-0 until Anthony Rizzo homered, Anthony Volpe drove in a run with a groundout and Juan Soto hit an RBI single to put New York in front in a three-run eighth.
“All losses hurt, especially when you’re up and you’re leading, but then again, (the Royals) are also professionals,” New York left-hander Nestor Cortes said after his Thursday start.
The Red Sox will face Yankees right-hander Luis Gil (8-1, 2.04 ERA), who had won seven straight starts before taking a no-decision Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He allowed three runs on five hits with five strikeouts and a walk in 5 2/3 innings during his latest outing.
“In the small time I’ve seen him, he lives for those moments,” Yankees star Aaron Judge said. “I look forward to more.”
The Yankees are 11-2 in Gil’s starts this season. He had thrown at least six innings and given up no more than one run in each of his previous seven outings, a feat that no Yankees pitcher had accomplished.
With Gil returning from Tommy John surgery, his innings — currently at 75 — are being monitored.
“We’re not putting any kind of a limit on him, but there may be a natural one that happens,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “But I don’t necessarily think that’s our expectation.”