NEW YORK — Saturday’s drama between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox appeared to continue into the final game of the season between the two rivals, thanks to some pre-game comments from Red Sox manager Alex Cora.
The game itself was tame, however, as the Yankees won 5–2, taking three of four victories over the Red Sox.
Before the game, Cora insinuated that starting pitcher Brayan Bello intentionally threw at Yankees superstar Aaron Judge in the sixth inning on Saturday as revenge for Gerrit Cole hitting Rafael Devers in the first inning. Cora was asked if he considered Devers’ intentional walk and hit-by-pitch incident on Saturday a closed case.
“It was closed yesterday around the sixth inning,” Cora said. “We had our chance. It didn’t happen and we’ve got to move on.”
Bello threw a 97.4 mph sinker behind Judge’s back with the count tied at 0-0; then he threw a 97.2 mph four-seam fastball far inside and outside the plate.
“It’s baseball. He missed,” Judge said after Sunday’s game when asked about Cora’s comments. “There’s nothing I can do about it except take it and go to first. It is what it is.”
Cora said he spoke with Judge after Saturday’s game and called it a “professional” conversation, but neither he nor Judge would reveal what was discussed.
“It was a good conversation, we’ll leave it at that,” Judge said.
On Sunday, Judge’s two-run homer in the third gave the Yankees a 4-0 lead. As he headed toward first base, the Yankees slugger carried his bat nearly the entire way down the first-base line.
“It’s a big home run. We’re playing the Red Sox. This is a big rival, a big game, a big moment. I’m just having fun with it,” he said.
The home run helped stifle any momentum the Red Sox had hoped to gain from Saturday’s win.
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Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Sunday he believes Cora wanted to ride out the momentum to give a team outside the playoffs a boost.
“I think it’s a manager using that moment to kind of galvanize his troops as they fight for their playoff lives,” Boone said. “They’re playing for a lot there. And I think it’s an opportunity to galvanize them a little bit. Probably play a little game. So that’s part of it.”
Before Sunday’s loss, Cora had expressed hope that Saturday’s drama would serve as a springboard for his club. But Boston now sits 4 1/2 games back of the third American League wild-card spot, while New York holds a three-game lead atop the AL East.
“I was talking to a veteran today, if this happens (making the playoffs), we’ll look back on (Saturday) and we’ll probably thank Gerrit Cole for letting us go, to be honest with you,” Cora said. “And hopefully it happens. Hopefully we can face them in the playoffs, because he’s going to have to pitch. But we’ve got a long way to go. I’m not promising we’ll make the playoffs, but if it does happen, I think everyone will look back on Saturday and hopefully it happens.”
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(Photo: Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
