Contreras drives – Willson Contreras homered and drove in three runs as the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 5-3 on Friday night. The night also came with a blow for New York, placing Aaron Judge on the injured list with a stress fracture in his right rib.
NEW YORK — When the ball left Willson Contreras’ bat, it didn’t just travel. It landed exactly where Boston wanted it, and exactly when the Yankees needed to answer and couldn’t. Contreras homered for the second straight game and drove in three runs as the Boston Red Sox edged the New York Yankees 5-3 on Friday night.
The damage started early in the swing that went the full distance. Contreras’ two-run drive off Ryan Weathers reached the second deck in left field and stayed inside the foul pole in the fifth. He also snapped a 1-1 tie in the third with an infield single on a high chopper to the third-base side of the mound.
By the time Boston piled on again, the Yankees were already dealing with their own crisis. New York placed Aaron Judge on the injured list with a stress fracture in his right rib. Before the game, the club said Judge would be re-evaluated in about four to six weeks.
Andrew Monasterio homered in the fourth to keep Boston ahead, and Wilyer Abreu added an RBI groundout in Boston’s 10th win in its last 13 road games.
On the mound, former Yankee Sonny Gray delivered a steady return to the Bronx. Gray, 7-1 with a 2017-2018 history of struggles in New York, allowed three runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings. He earned his fifth straight win since returning from a hamstring injury.
The bullpen protected the lead with a mix of calm and close calls. Danny Coulombe stranded a runner in the seventh, and Justin Slaten needed four pitches for a perfect eighth. In the ninth. Aroldis Chapman issued a pair of walks to pinch hitters Max Schuemann and Amed Rosario before closing it out with a 13th save.
The Yankees didn’t go quietly. Ben Rice and Trent Grisham homered off Gray, and Spencer Jones added an RBI single. Jones, called up to replace Judge, delivered his first career three-hit game. That impact never fully covered the gap created by the lineup reshuffling that followed Judge’s injury.
Boston countered with production from the top and the small moments that decide tight games. Even in the late innings, the margins stayed thin enough that every Yankees swing mattered.
Ryan Weathers worked six innings and took the loss, allowing five runs and seven hits. The left-hander struck out four and walked one, and he’s winless in his last five starts.
With Friday’s result, New York dropped for the third time in four games since losing Judge.
Boston now turns to Saturday night, with Boston LHP Ranger Suárez (2-3, 3.38 ERA) set to oppose New York RHP Will Warren (7-1, 3.22).
MISRYOUM Sports News Boston Red Sox New York Yankees Willson Contreras Aaron Judge stress fracture right rib MLB score 5-3 Sonny Gray Ryan Weathers Ranger Suárez Will Warren Andrew Monasterio Wilyer Abreu Aroldis Chapman