Those hoping David Price and the Boston Red Sox never would lose again were sorely disappointed Tuesday.
It was a night of broken streaks in the Bronx, as the New York Yankees beat the Red Sox 6-4 to end Boston’s 11-game run while also handing Price his first loss in his last 10 starts.
Price’s outing was anything but pretty. He gave up six runs in 6 1/3 innings and tied a season high with 12 hits allowed, three of which were home runs. It was the fourth consecutive start he’s allowed at least one homer, and he’s surrendered six in that span after allowing just one in his prior four starts.
“To have a chance to clinch the division for us here, it’s not acceptable,” Price told reporters after the game, as aired on NESN’s “Extra Innings LIVE.” “If our offense scores us more runs, I feel like I should be able to go out there and win, and that hasn’t been the case 11 times this year.”
Price has hit a bit of a snag of late, allowing a total of 14 runs over his last three starts. Two of those bad outings came against the Yankees, whom Price just can’t seem to solve this year: The 31-year-old is 1-3 with a 7.89 ERA in five appearances against New York this season.
But there’s good news for Boston: Price won’t be seeing the Yankees in the postseason, and he still is on quite an impressive second-half run. Before Tuesday night, the former Cy Young Award winner had posted a 2.86 ERA over his last nine starts, helping the Red Sox earn a win each time.
Price also has one more regular season outing remaining to gear up for the playoffs — he’s scheduled to pitch the team’s season finale against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday — and isn’t concerned in the least that he’ll be ready for October.
“I feel good,” Price added. “I’m fine mentally; I’m fine physically. Didn’t do it (Tuesday), but so what? I’ll get ’em next time. That’s what I’ve said all year, and I’ve done a much better job of that in the second half (of the season).”
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Let’s hit a few other notes from Red Sox-Yankees:
— The Red Sox (92-65) no longer have the AL’s best record, as the Texas Rangers (93-65) beat the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday to move a half-game ahead of Boston for the league’s No. 1 seed.
The Cleveland Indians (91-66) got blown out by the Detroit Tigers and still trail the Sox by a game in the overall standings.
— Mookie Betts made the defensive play of the night in the sixth inning.
The Red Sox right-fielder made a tough sliding catch on a Chase Headley line drive while battling the Yankee Stadium lights, then fired to first base to double off Starlin Castro.
Betts’ big play saved at least one run, as Didi Gregorius hit a solo home run in New York’s next at-bat.
— Speaking of home runs, Gary Sanchez hit another one Tuesday, giving the Yankees phenom an incredible 20 homers in just 49 major league games. That blast tied one Major League Baseball record and obliterated another.
— David Ortiz is done playing baseball after this season, and he means it.
The Red Sox slugger was asked before Tuesday’s game if he’d consider playing for the Dominican Republic in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, which begins on March 9, 2017. It sounds like he’s all set.
“I’d probably need 15 months to recover,” Ortiz said, via WEEI.com. “I would love to represent my country, but like I say, I’m in a situation where I’m trying every day to get ready to play a game.
“My body is so happy. My body is counting the days. It’s hard to play baseball when you’re 40. It’s something that, especially when you’re looking around and everybody is 20. You can be a dad. When you look around baseball, everyone is 20. Everything is moving pretty fast.”
Thumbnail photo via Adam Hunger/USA TODAY Sports Images