If you're a Yankee Fan, what could be better than beating the Boston Red Sox on Opening Day?
Beating them in the postseason, which we've tried to do in 2004, 2018 and 2021, and failed each time.
Also something that could be better: Beating them in both the 1st and the 2nd game of the regular season. At the start of yesterday's action, that result seemed a bit more reasonable. After all, we were already halfway there.
Luis Severino started for the 1st time since September 28, 2019, and was never going to go more than 4 innings, no matter what. The Yankee pitchers are working their way back to full fitness after a cut-short Spring Training.
He allowed a home run to Alex Verdugo in the 2nd inning, making it 2-0. After 3 innings, and that score holding, he was taken out. Ron Marinaccio, a native of Toms River, Ocean County, New Jersey, pitched the top of the 4th.
Josh Donaldson led off the bottom of the 4th with a single. Aaron Judge flew out, but that advanced Donaldson to 2nd. That ended up not mattering, as Anthony Rizzo tied the game with a home run.
Miguel Castro pitched a scoreless top of the 5th, and Lucas Luetge pitched a scoreless top of the 6th. Cliché Alert: Walks can kill you, especially the leadoff variety. Judge led off the bottom of the 6th with a walk. Rizzo popped up. Giancarlo Stanton came up, having hit home runs in his last 5 games against the Red Sox. He made it 6, crushing one 437 feet to left-center. Sox pitcher Nick Pivetta dropped to a squat. He didn't even have to turn around: He knew it was gone, as did everyone else in Yankee Stadium II.
The Yankees wouldn't need any more runs: Chad Green pitched a perfect 7th, Clay Holmes a scoreless 8th, and Aroldis Chapman a scoreless 9th.
Yankees 4, Red Sox 2. WP: Luetge (1-0). SV: Chapman (1). LP: Pivetta (0-1).
So the Yankees start the season 2-0, with both wins coming against The Scum. Fine with me.
The series concludes tonight, at 7:00, in the ESPN Sunday game of the week. Jordan Montgomery starts against Tanner Houck.