Fenway Park — Left hander J.A. Happ pitched eight scoreless innings, Clint Frazier hit a two-run home run and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 8-0 Saturday night for their 10th consecutive win.
Happ (2-2) allowed four hits and struck out nine. It was his second win of the season over the BoSox. He allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings in a victory against them last month in New York.
The win was the Yankees’ 12th straight over the Red Sox going back to last season, tying the Bombers’ longest winning streak in baseball’s most historic rivalry. With the win, New York’s magic number is one game to clinch its fourth consecutive postseason berth.
The 37-year-old Happ continued his turnaround and definitely will be in the talks for a rotation spot come playoffs. He’s now 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA in his past six starts, the lowest mark by a NY starter in that time span.
“I think he’ll be playing a big role, but we’ll cross that bridge in the next week to 10 days,’’ said Yankee skipper Aaron Boone, adding that he was impressed by the fortitude Happ has shown during a difficult season.
Clint Frazier finished with three hits of the Yankees’ 11.
Red Sox starter Chris Mazza (1-2) got chased after four innings, giving up four runs on five hits and three walks.
Mazza struggled from the beginning couldn’t spot his pitches, giving up a hit and pair of walks to load the bases in the first.
Gio Urshela made good at his time at the plate, putting the Bombers on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly that scored DJ LeMahieu. Frazier made it 2-0 with a single to left field, bringing home Aaron Judge.
The Yankees was helped by two errors by Boston shortstop Xander Bogaerts to add two more runs in the fourth inning.
Happ got plenty of run support from the Bombers, especially from Frazier, who drove in three runs.
On his development and his contribution to the team, Happ said, “I don’t think I can put it into words. I appreciate the support of the players here in this room. It certainly means a lot.”
First baseman Luke Voit added an RBI single in the top of the fifth inning and Frazier smashed a homer to right-center to make it 7-0 later in the inning.
Happ made it look easy in a 113-pitch outing for the Bombers.
Happ gave up an infield hit to Bogaerts in the first inning and a single to center by J.D. Martinez in the fourth before Kevin Plawecki’s double with two outs in the seventh. And he pitched out of a jam in the eighth, when the BoSox had runners on the corners and no one out and didn’t score.
The Bombers will look to close out the series with a sweep Sunday at Fenway, looking to put some distance between themselves and the Twins for the fourth seed in the American League.
Aaron Boone sang Happ’s praises and added the left-hander is “obviously gonna be on the team” in the postseason, but his role is to be determined.
