Karma is moving in the Yankees' direction instead of the Red Sox's
Andrew Velazquez of the Yankees reacts on his second-inning two-run single against the Red Sox in the first game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Curse of Cora is loosening its grip on the Yankees, who stayed on brand with a pair of white-knuckle victories in Tuesday’s doubleheader sweep that allowed them to pull even with the Red Sox for the AL wild card -- and a share of second place in the division.
In the span of three weeks, the Yankees have wiped out a nine-game deficit to Boston, which was atop the AL East back on July 25 after taking three of four at Fenway, a series that was supposed to bury Aaron Boone & Co.
That didn’t happen. Instead, the Yankees are on a 22-9 roll since the All-Star break and it’s the Red Sox now in freefall with a 14-17 record over that same span. During the first four months of this season, the Yankees couldn’t do anything right against their ancient rivals in dropping 10 of the first 13 meetings. But in Tuesday’s doubleheader, they were always just a step or pitch ahead of the Sox. A stunning role reversal.
"The bottom line is, that’s great, we’ve climbed back in, but we’ve got a long way to go," Boone said. "We are focused on the task, we’re focused on the daily grind, and I like where are club’s at. We’re playing with a lot of confidence."
Bronx native Andrew Velazquez and Luke Voit both delivered two-run singles to spur the opening 5-3 victory. In the second game, Voit and Giancarlo Stanton each homered in a 2-0 win highlighted by a great defensive play on Bobby Dalbec’s comebacker to strand two in the sixth inning.
For Game 1 hero Velazquez, who grew up playing in the shadow of Yankee Stadium at nearby Fordham Prep, if it wasn’t for Gleyber Torres’ thumb sprain and Gio Urshela’s hamstring injury, he never ends up patrolling the same patch of dirt as his idol, Derek Jeter. But with the Red Sox in town, it was a scenario he fantasized about forever.
"I probably imagined that a million times," Velazquez said after Game 1. "We’re here now, so it’s a beautiful thing."
As for another childhood Yankees fan — this one from Jersey — Joey Gallo’s only box– score contribution in Game 1 was a walk that set the table for the deciding three-run rally in the fifth. But merely the intimidating presence of Gallo, situated in the cleanup spot between Aaron Judge and Voit, was enough to convince Red Sox manager Alex Cora to pull righty reliever Garrett Whitlock and go with the lefty Josh Taylor instead.
On paper, a sound strategy, especially after Brett Gardner and Judge drew one-out walks ahead of him. But once Gallo also worked a walk off Taylor, Cora’s magic touch lost some of its juice. Voit punched a bloop single to drive in a pair of runs and Aaron Boone then sent up Giancarlo Stanton to hit for Rougned Odor.
And for all the praise heaped on Cora this season, particularly about him outfoxing Boone in these matchups, the Yankees’ manager finally got one his way. Stanton stepped up and crushed a 3-and-0 fastball, hammering a 116.3-mph RBI single.
Maybe it’s still a bit premature to say things could be flipping in this rivalry. But there is some evidence pointing in that direction. Whitlock and Taylor had totaled 13 scoreless innings against the Yankees this season. During the fifth, they were charged with three runs.
It’s no coincidence. The Yankees’ lineup is more versatile since the deadline trades for the dangerous lefty duo of Gallo and Anthony Rizzo. And these better-equipped Yankees are going to cause plenty of problems going forward, which is a major upgrade from the one-dimensional group that kept getting knocked over like bowling pins by Boston.
"Now you’ve got some decisions to make as an opponent," Boone said. "There’s a good chance that we’ll have a favorable matchup at some point."
After Jordan Montgomery got fatigued in his first start back from COVID, the bullpen managed to hold on — barely — with Jonathan Loaisiga going the final two innings, escaping a bases-loaded, none-out jam in the seventh.
If this was a month ago, Game 1 probably ends differently. Another one of Boone’s "gut punches." But it’s the Red Sox faltering now, with a bullpen ERA of 8.31 since Aug. 5 — as opposed to 2.09 ERA for the Yankees’ relievers — and momentum could be shifting.
"The boys are battling," Velazquez said.
And the slipping Sox should be nervous.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
