Giancarlo Stanton ended the 2021 season with a mashing against the Red Sox.
The Yankees slugger started 2022 doing more of the same.
Stanton hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning, his second in as many days, to break a tie and lead the Yankees to a 4-2 win over the Red Sox in the Bronx on Saturday.
Anthony Rizzo also scored for the second straight game and Luis Severino threw three solid innings in his first start in more than two years as the Yankees grabbed the series win and opened a season 2-0 for the first time since 2018.
For the second straight day, the Yankees’ bullpen was asked to cover a large chunk of the innings, and the assists delivered again, this time with six no-hit frames to knock out the Red Sox.
“We had a chance to sweep the Red Sox at home,” Rizzo said. “No matter when the season is, tomorrow is a big game.”
Stanton’s crucial slam came with an out in the sixth inning from Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta, who had held the Yankees on three hits up to that point. Stanton capitalized on a hanging slider, propelling it 437 feet into the left seats for a 2-2 tie in a rush.
Giancarlo Stanton gave the Yankees a 4-2 lead with a two-run blaster in the sixth inning. Robert Sabo
Giancarlo Stanton is hugged after his home run in the Yankees dugout.Robert Sabo
“When G gets locked up, that’s what happens,” manager Aaron Boone said. “So to have finished as well as he did last year and now coming into this season from what I thought was a really meaningful and purposeful spring for him, I just think he’s in a really good mental state right now and physical condition. That can be the result with a great player.”
Including his line-drive homer in Friday’s 11-inning win, Stanton has homed in six straight games against the Red Sox — including a series in late September and the AL wildcard game at Fenway Park — while going 12-for-24 batted with 14 RBIs.
“We didn’t do the most important one last year [the AL wild-card game], I know that, so just focus on that,” Stanton said. “I had two lucky guys who helped us win this year. I just have to keep going.”
Luis Severino plays during the Yankees’ win over the Red Sox on Saturday. Robert Sabo
Anthony Rizzo’s home run in the fourth inning tied the game 2-2. Robert Sabo
Severino, who was making his first start since the 2019 ALCS (he’s since been limited to just six relief innings due to surgery by Tommy John and various setbacks), held a batsman into the fourth inning in an overall encouraging if short debut. He hit five and averaged 97.8 mph with his fastball, though he gave up five hits and his return in the second inning was marred by a two-run homer by Alex Verdugo.
“It’s been a long time, but I remember very well what it feels like,” Severino said. “I will do everything to help my team win.”
Anthony Rizzo celebrates after hitting a two-run home run. Robert Sabo
After Ron Marinaccio made his MLB debut by off-loading Severino and working his way out of trouble to record a memorable goalless frame with two strikeouts, Rizzo’s two-run shot outplayed Pivetta to level the score with 2: 2 to tie at the bottom of the fourth inning.
From there, Stanton turned two hard-hit grounders in his first two at-bats into an elevated hard-hit ball in his third for the go-ahead home run while a parade of Yankees reliefs dominated the Red Sox.
After the bullpen gave up just one deserved seven-inning run on Friday, the relievers came together for six more shutout innings on Saturday to put the Yankees in position to complete Sunday night’s sweep.
“It’s really fun to watch and it’s good to be behind them and not in the box against them,” Stanton said. “They’re mean and they’re going to be tough on guys all year long.”