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Yankees Sweep, Beat Red Sox 6-3 To Take AL Wild-Card Lead

BOSTON (AP) — Twice given new life after the Red Sox dropped foul balls that would have ended his eighth-inning at-bat, Aaron Judge doubled in the go-ahead runs on Sunday night to lead the New York Yankees to a 6-3 victory and a wild-card flipping three-game sweep.

Giancarlo Stanton followed with a two-run homer over the Green Monster and out of the ballpark to give the Yankees their sixth straight victory. Stanton, who won Saturday's game with an eighth-inning grand slam, homered in all three games of the series.

The Yankees, who arrived in Boston trailing the Red Sox by two games, leave it with a one-game lead in the race to host the Oct. 5 AL wild-card game. Boston remains in playoff position, one game ahead of Toronto for the second wild-card spot.

After Boston took a 3-2 lead in the seventh on two Yankee errors — a pair of dropped popups — New York put runners on second and third with one out before Judge hit a foul ball that rookie first baseman Bobby Dalbec short-armed as he approached the Red Sox dugout. The Red Sox had a second chance to retire Judge when he tipped a 1-2 pitch, but catcher Christian Vazquez couldn't control it.

Judge then lined the ball to left-center to make it 4-3.

Chad Green (10-7) earned the win despite blowing a 2-1 lead in the seventh when DJ LeMahieu and Joey Gallo dropped easy popups, allowing the go-ahead run to score. In all, Green allowed two hits in 1 2/3 innings, striking out two.

Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth to earn his 30th save.

Garrett Richards (7-8) pitched a perfect seventh but walked two and gave up Anthony Rizzo's double in the eighth before Adam Ottavino relieved him and allowed Judge's two-run double.

New York led 2-1 when José Iglesias singled to lead off the seventh and took second on Alex Verdugo's bunt single. Joely Rodríguez's wild pitch moved the runners up, and Christian Vázquez hit a sacrifice fly to tie it.

Chad Green struck out Kiké Hernández, but when pinch-hitter Kyle Schwarber popped up the first pitch he saw in front of the Yankees dugout, LeMahieu flubbed it. Another seemingly easy popup clanged off Gallo's glove in left-center, allowing the run to score.

NO SMOKE, NO FIRE

The game was delayed four minutes with two outs in the top of the fourth inning when the fire alarm went off in Fenway Park. The umpires called time, but the teams remained on the field. The Red Sox said the alarm was caused by a faulty sprinkler head.

When the game resumed, Saturday game-winner Stanton buzzed Eduardo Rodríguez's head with a line drive that ricocheted off second base into center for a single.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Red Sox: Placed LHP Josh Taylor on the injured list (retroactive to Sept. 23) with a low back strain. RHP Eduard Bazardo was recalled from Triple-A Worcester to take his spot on the roster.

UP NEXT

Yankees: After an off-day, begin a three-game series in Toronto with RHP Jameson Taillon (8-6, 4.41 ERA) facing the Blue Jays.

Red Sox: Have Monday off before beginning their season-ending road trip with LHP Chris Sale (5-0, 2.57 ERA) facing the Orioles.

(© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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