Avoiding getting swept by the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees ended the series with a 14-4 win that included every single lineup player getting a hit and scoring a run, including home runs for Chase Headley and Brian McCann.
Headley got his second home run of the season in the first inning of off Clay Buchholz, while McCann got his first in 2015 in the 8th off of Edward Mujica. Alex Rodriguez finished the game with four RBIs after a double from him in the first scored three runners and he also got to walk with the bases loaded later in the game, scoring Carlos Beltran.
Masahiro Tanaka didn’t deliver a redeeming performance on his second start of the season, but with Buccholz doing so badly and the Yankees’ bats hitting everything flying their way, he didn’t have to, picking up his first win of the season, allowing four hits and runs during his five innings. At least he didn’t pull off a Buccholz, giving up seven runs in the first inning and not making it out of the fourth inning.
Tanaka did look better than opening day, retiring nine of the first 11 batters he faced and his fastball looking better and stronger, topping 92 mph this time on a few occasions.
Every Red Sox pitcher gave up at least one hit except for Craig Breslow, but he got to walk three batters during his 1.2 innings of performance. The Yankees gave up four hits after Tanaka left the mound, but the Red Sox bats stopped working after the fifth inning.
This was a crucial win for the Yankees, avoiding their first 1-5 start since 1989. They now have to play 25 of their next 35 games on the road, and maybe their highest scoring first inning against the Red Sox since 1954 and a sign of things to come.
The Baltimore Orioles are what’s next for them with Michael Pineda, who is 1-0 with a 1.78 ERA in four starts against the Orioles, is the next one to get on the mound. He played well in six innings against the Blue Jays earlier, but still doesn’t have a decision to his name this season.