MLB
June 18, 2023 | 4:38 p.m
BOSTON — Maybe the Yankees would have been better off if it just kept raining.
After Saturday’s defeat followed Friday’s defeat, the Yankees couldn’t change their luck on Sunday afternoon, losing 6-2 in the first game of a doubles game to the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
After taking a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning, things quickly got out of hand for the Yankees. The Red Sox brought in Clarke Schmidt for a pair before the normally reliable Michael King blew a tie in the sixth inning.
The Yankees’ offense, meanwhile, continued to struggle without Aaron Judge, scoring just four hits against the Red Sox (36-35), who went through a bullpen game with ease.
That led to the Yankees (39-32) losing for the seventh time in their last 10 games early in Sunday’s nightcap.
Yankees relief player Michael King pitches in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Red Sox on June 18, 2023. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post
After coming on for Schmidt to record the final in the fifth inning, King hit two quick outs in the sixth inning before the Red Sox overwhelmed him with four straight hits and gave the Green Monster a 5-2 lead.
Enrique Hernandez started with an infield single to first base before Connor Wong fired a double off the Monster just out of range of the jumping Jake Bauers.
Hernandez scored from the start, but a possible close play at the plate was nullified when Anthony Rizzo saved the relay shot.
Yankees DH Giancarlo Stanton reacts after batting in the sixth inning in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Red Sox.Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post
Alex Verdugo then played another double from the Monster before Justin Turner threw a single into left center to make it 5-2.
After giving up just six runs in his first 32 ²/₃ innings (19 games) of the season, King was marked for six runs in his last 5 ²/₃ innings (four games).
The Yankees never threatened a comeback as their biggest hitters remained silent.
Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu reacts after going down in the sixth inning in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Red Sox.Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post
Gleyber Torres got the Yankees off to a good start by hitting a two-run home run into the Green Monster pitches early in the first inning.
His twelfth home run of the season and third in his last eight games came after Bauers put the game ahead with a ground rule double against opener Kaleb Ort.
But after Torres’ explosion, the Yankees didn’t record another hit until Bauers took the lead with another double in the sixth inning against left-hander Chris Murphy, knocking him out of the game.
However, Bauers was stranded in second place with the heart of the Yankees line (Giancarlo Stanton, Torres and Rizzo) unable to push him against right-hander Nick Pivetta.
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