Bronx, NY: This was not your typical rivalry of the Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the Bronx as both teams are off to slow starts in the beginning weeks of the season. The fist of 19 meetings with the world champion Red Sox and the Yankees commenced in 2019 at Yankee Stadium Tuesday night.
The start of a two-game series that continued to show struggles for the Red Sox. And for the Yankees, a dominating 8-0 win, and one they needed. It was the Yankees second win in their last nine games. Credit goes to James Paxton who shut out Boston for the third time in five career starts.
Decimated by injuries, the latest to Greg Bird with a torn plantar tear to the foot, the 12th Yankees roster player on the injured list, Paxton gave everyone a reason to smile in the Bronx.
The Red Sox fell to 6-12 to start the season. Two hits given up by Paxton in eight-innings were doubles to Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley. The 2018 Latino Sports MVP Award winner, J.D. Martinez reached base on a deep single to shortstop in the 9th off Joe Harvey.
“He had great stuff tonight and had everything,” Martinez said about Paxton who has a 1.89 ERA in those career starts against the Red Sox,
To Yankees manager Aaron Boone, and for his team this was what you call a confidence builder. Also call it dominance against a Boston team that was shut out for the third time this season.
“Right from the very beginning,” said manager Aaron Boone about Paxton, “needed that one to go out there and pound the zone with great stuff all night.” And that’s what Paxton did with a fastball consistent at 95 and a curve that had the Red Sox hitting the ball nowhere.
James Paxton dominates Red Sox roster Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium (PC: Daniel Budasoff/Latino Sports)
Paxton struck out 12, That matched the most by a Yankee starter since the start of 2018, last done by CC Sabathia. He struck out six consecutive batters from his last batter faced in the sixth inning to his second batter faced in the eighth.
“Today was that complete game,” Paxton said. The Yankees tact on runs after scoring two in the second inning and that has also been rare with this makeshift lineup that has made winning more difficult.
Gleyber Torres lead off with a home run to fight off Erasmo Ramirez, in the seventh inning that completed the Yankees scoring. And for Paxton, 2-2, a key offseason acquisition, this was what the Yankees ordered.
“Putting zeroes up was really big for the team,” Paxton said.
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