The numbers don’t always tell the story. After all, that’s why we play the games. But even from the start, Wednesday’s tilt between the Red Sox and Yankees seemed to favor the Baby Bombers.
On one side there was Rick Porcello, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner whose 2017 performances could be described as shaky at best.
On the other was six-time All-Star CC Sabathia, the man who made his debut with the Indians all the way back in 2001 and whose 229 career wins are second most among active major leagues only to the ageless Bartolo Colon (235).
Carsten Charles might not have the power he had years ago, but CC has been the stopper this season, earning four straight wins after a Yankees loss, like the one they suffered at the hands of the Red Sox on Tuesday.
Sabathia did not disappoint New York fans. As Porcello wriggled mostly in and occasionally out of trouble, Sabathia simply cruised, setting down the Red Sox again and again. Porcello allowed a solo home run by Didi Gregorius the third inning and a damaging three-run shot by Chris Carter in the fourth. Carter’s three hit night yield four RBI making him the second No. 9 batter this season with four or more RBI in a game for New York (also Austin Romine on April 29).
There’s little question Sabathia could have completed the game. He threw 95 pitches over 8.0 IP allowing five hits but no walks or runs and striking out five. Instead, the Yankees turned to Jonathan Holder in the ninth inning to successfully protect an eight run lead.
In the end, the Sox would suffer their biggest shutout loss by the Yankees since an 8-0 drubbing on June 27, 1991 at Fenway. To find a Boston shutout with this margin of victory in New York you have to go all the way back to August 5, 1974.
And so the series stands at 1-1 and will be decided on Thursday when David Price and Michael Pineda square off.
Games like Wednesday’s, when your team is pummeled by their arch-rival feel as though they might count for more than they do. But the reality is, it’s just one loss. Boston is 32-26 and chasing a first place team that’s only a little bit better at 33-23, with 64% of the schedule still left to play.