Rafael Devers’ intentional walk from Gerrit Cole ignited a powerful response from the Red Sox, leading to a commanding 7-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Saturday. This pivotal moment in the fourth inning catalyzed a three-run rally, with Devers later contributing a two-run single in a four-run fifth inning, showcasing Boston’s offensive prowess.
Cole, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner with a record of 6-5, had been in control, not allowing a hit and maintaining a 1-0 lead when he decided to walk Devers with one out in the fourth. Prior to that, the only runner for Boston had been Devers himself, who was hit by a pitch in the first inning but was later eliminated on a double play.
Despite a strong start, retiring nine of the first ten batters, Cole faltered as 10 of the next 12 batters reached base. The 34-year-old right-hander ended the game after 4 1/3 innings, surrendering seven runs—the most he had allowed since June 9, 2022—and hitting a career-high three batters.
Brayan Bello, pitching for the Red Sox, delivered a solid performance, allowing just one run and four hits over 5 1/3 innings. Post-game, Bello remarked that Cole’s intentional walk of Devers “showed a lot of weakness,” according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora expressed his disapproval of the decision to walk Devers, stating, “We took exception to that because it was loud and clear he didn’t want to face him.” Devers himself suggested that Cole “panicked a little bit” under the pressure.
Earlier in the day, Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged that Devers has historically performed well against Cole, admitting that “Devers definitely had Gerrit’s number over the years,” as reported by Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Devers entered the game with an impressive .316 batting average against Cole, boasting eight home runs in 41 at-bats, including postseason play. However, his performance had dipped recently, with a .170 average and just one RBI since August 30.
The intentional walk marked Cole’s first since his time with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he walked Travis Shaw of the Milwaukee Brewers in a similar situation back in 2017. That decision had also backfired, leading to a loss for Cole’s team.
Following Devers’ walk, he stole second base, setting the stage for Masataka Yoshida to hit an opposite-field RBI double that tied the game at 1. Wilyer Abreu then contributed a two-run single, giving the Red Sox a 3-1 advantage.
The Yankees have a history of intentional walks with no runners on base, the earliest recorded instances dating back to 1930 and 1970. However, the significance of this particular walk lies in its impact on the game and the psychological edge it gave the Red Sox.
In the fifth inning, Trevor Story led off with a single and stole second base, followed by a walk to Danny Jansen. After a flyout, Jarren Duran was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Devers then delivered a key hit, driving in two runs and extending the lead to 5-1. Cole’s day ended shortly after, as Yoshida hit a two-run single off reliever Tyler O’Neill.
Cole’s record against the Red Sox now stands at 5-6 with a 6.06 ERA in 15 starts, illustrating the challenge he faces when pitching against this fierce rival.
In a noteworthy moment for the Red Sox, Zach Penrod made his major league debut in the eighth inning, replacing Josh Winckowski after Aaron Judge’s leadoff double. Penrod managed to get three outs, including striking out Austin Wells and Jazz Chisholm Jr. His wife, Kyla, was in attendance at Yankee Stadium, holding their week-old daughter, Noa Mae.
The Yankees managed to score one run in the third inning, courtesy of Gleyber Torres’ RBI single, but it was not enough to overcome the Red Sox’s offensive explosion.
