The intense rivalry between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox reached a boiling point on Saturday, with some pre-game comments from Red Sox manager Alex Cora hinting at further drama. However, Sunday’s game ended up being relatively subdued, as the Yankees clinched a 5-2 victory, securing three out of four wins against their rivals.
Prior to the game, Cora suggested that pitcher Brayan Bello deliberately threw at Yankees’ Aaron Judge as retaliation for an incident involving Gerrit Cole hitting Rafael Devers. While Cora believed the matter was settled after Saturday’s game, the tension loomed in the air.
Despite the controversy, Judge remained composed, stating, “It’s baseball. He missed. Nothing I can do about it besides take it and go to first. It is what it is.”
Following the game, Judge’s two-run homer boosted the Yankees to a 4-0 lead, dampening any hopes the Red Sox had after their win on Saturday. Judge expressed his excitement, saying, “We’re playing the Red Sox. This is a big rival, big game, big moment. I’m just having some fun with it there.”
Yankees manager Aaron Boone chalked up the incident to gamesmanship, stating that Cora’s actions were an attempt to rally his team, which is currently fighting for a playoff spot.
As the dust settles, Boston finds themselves trailing in the wild-card race, while New York maintains a comfortable lead in the AL East. Cora remains hopeful that the Saturday drama will fuel his team’s resurgence, but time will tell if the Red Sox can secure a postseason spot.
Overall, the weekend clash between the Yankees and the Red Sox added another chapter to their storied rivalry, setting the stage for potential postseason matchups and keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
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(Photo: Ed Zurga / Getty Images)
