BOSTON (AP) — It’s too bad baseball went away from the unbalanced schedules, because the Boston Red Sox could really use a bunch more games against the New York…
It’s too bad baseball went away from the unbalanced schedules, because the Boston Red Sox could really use a bunch more games against the New York Yankees.
The Red Sox beat their AL East archrivals 4-1 on Sunday night, completing a doubleheader and series sweep that brought them just two games behind their longtime nemeses in the division. Boston won the series opener 15-5, and then took Sunday’s day game 6-2 in a makeup of Saturday’s rainout.
“We like playing them. They like playing against us,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “It’s fun playing against them. Regardless of where we are in the standings, it’s always fun. They have a good team; they’ll be there in the hunt. And we want to be where they were last year.”
The Red Sox (37-35) improved to 5-1 against the Yankees (39-33) this season, with nine more games to play. In the unbalanced schedule that governed until this year, the division rivals played each other 19 times a season.
It’s the first time the Red Sox have swept the Yankees in a doubleheader since 2006, and the first time they did at Fenway Park since since 1976.
“Sweeping any team is pretty good,” said Red Sox center fielder Jarren Duran, who made a nice catch against the bullpen wall in the night game. “Three games in a row sweeping a really good team like the Yankees — they’re going really good — it’s always good momentum. And I can’t wait to see what we can do on this on this road trip.
