NEW YORK — Kutter Crawford threw just 68 pitches (79% strikes) in 7 scoreless innings to lead the Red Sox to a 3-0 victory over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Sunday Night Baseball.
It matched Crawford’s longest career start. He also threw 7 innings in a 2-1 win over the Giants on May 1.
The Red Sox won the three-game series, 2-1. They are 4-2 against their rivals this season. They went 5-1 on this road trip through Miami and New York.
Rafael Devers homered twice. He broke a scoreless tie with a 373-foot opposite field home run to left field with one out in the seventh inning.
Devers — who was named an AL All-Star along with two of his teammates earlier in the day — connected on a 98.8 mph four-seam fastball from Yankees starter Luis Gil. He also hit a 423 foot blast to center field to make it 3-0 in the ninth.
Crawford dominates
Crawford has pitched well against the Yankees in his career. He entered Sunday with a 2.43 ERA in seven outings (five starts) vs. New York.
The righty threw just 40 pitches (34 strikes) and allowed one hit through the first five innings. It was the fewest pitches thrown by a pitcher through the first five innings since May 30, 2017, when Ivan Nova threw 38 pitches, according to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs.
The 28-year-old righty escaped a 14-pitch, two-hit sixth inning without allowing a run after giving up a leadoff single to Oswaldo Cabrera. Trent Grisham lined out to second baseman David Hamilton who doubled Cabrera off first base. Crawford then struck out Ben Rice (who homered three times Saturday) swinging after DJ LeMahieu had doubled.
Juan Soto led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double. But Crawford then struck out Aaron Judge swinging on an 83.2 mph sweeper. He got Alex Verdugo to ground out to second base and Anthony Volpe to line out (97.1 mph exit velo) to left field to keep the Red Sox ahead 2-0.
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Rafaela hits missile
Ceddanne Rafaela made it 2-0 Boston in the eighth inning with a rocket 412-foot homer (106.1 mph off the bat) to left field.
Devers makes barehanded play
Justin Slaten replaced Crawford to begin the bottom of the eighth. With a runner at first base and two outs, LeMahieu hit a soft grounder to the third base side of the mound. Devers charged, grabbed it barehanded and threw to first base for the final out of the inning.
Gil sharp for Yankees in pitchers’ duel
Gil had struggled in his previous three starts, allowing a combined 16 runs in 9 ⅔ innings (14.90 ERA). But he was sharp Sunday. He ended up allowing just the one run (on Devers’ homer) while striking out nine over 6 ⅔ innings.
Upcoming series
The Red Sox have Monday off. They then open a three-game series against the Athletics at Fenway Park on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. Righty Brayan Bello (8-5, 5.19 ERA) will start for Boston opposite Joey Estes (3-3, 4.39 ERA).
Three All-Stars
Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran and Tanner Houck all were named All-Stars before the game. Houck discussed overcoming failure to get there. Meanwhile, manager Alex Cora “was very nervous” this week hoping that Duran wouldn’t be snubbed.
