Red Sox dominance, Yankees mistakes on repeat in Boston's 1-0 win

NEW YORK – This was Game 128 of the regular season, and you’d figure these Yankees could play 128 more and still be in the same disturbing pattern.

If they’re not hitting it out of the park, good luck finding a way to win.

And when they keep repeating the same unforced errors in the field and on the bases, even the best efforts by Yankee pitching won’t be enough to save them.

Though lefty Max Fried found his stride and kept the Yankees in a scoreless game Friday night, the Red Sox still found a way to a 1-0 win – their seventh in eight tries against the 2025 Yanks.

Consecutive seventh-inning doubles by pinch-hitter Nathaniel Lowe and Connor Wong against reliever Mark Leiter Jr. put Boston in position to win its first 1-0 game at Yankee Stadium since July 28, 1994.

And from here, the Sox can see a chance at a four-game sweep Sunday, with ace Garret Crochet starting Saturday afternoon’s third game.

“There’s obviously frustration,’’ said Ben Rice, as the Red Sox replaced the Yanks atop the wild card standings. “We’ve got to be better.’’

Series of Yankees mistakes on the bases, in the field

But for better or worse, these are the same Yankees who throw to wrong bases and stumble on the bases – and they only had four baserunners against Boston starter Brayan Bello on Friday.

Two of those were erased on double plays, including another asleep-at-the-wheel moment for Austin Wells in the sixth inning.

“That’s one we need back,’’ said manager Aaron Boone. “Can’t get doubled off’’ first base on Trent Grisham’s liner to shortstop, with a clear view of the play.

Yet, Boone was generally OK with two – to be polite – highly questionable ninth inning throwing decisions by Anthony Volpe and Jasson Dominguez.

With none out and Jarren Duran at second base, Volpe fielded Ceddanne Rafael’s grounder and threw to Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base in a not-very-close attempt to nail Duran.

“Are we really going to dive into that a lot?’’ said Boone, who then called it both “obviously not the right play’’ and “a heady play’’ as well by Volpe.

Now with runners at first and second, none out, Lowe’s fly ball to deep-ish left-center was caught by Dominguez, who threw hopelessly late to third base as Duran tagged up.

That allowed the trail runner Rafaela to easily take second base.

And that “was a mistake,’’ said Dominguez, who has made that mistake before. “I have to go to second.’’

Dominguez was harsher on himself than Boone, who “didn’t have a problem with the decision’’ since Dominguez put himself in position to make a strong through.

However, “in hindsight, yes,’’ Boone said of wishing Dominguez had thrown to second base.

"We've got to find a way'' past the Red Sox

Dominguez’s subpar defense and lackluster at-bats as a right-handed hitter have already impacted his playing time, a worrisome element down the stretch.

Plus, Volpe’s absent offense – he’s batting .127 in his last 18 games - and the crowd’s loud boos as he struck out in the eighth, finishing 0-for-3, could result in a rest on Saturday.

Boone said he considered pinch-hitting for Volpe in the eighth against Garrett Whitlock but ultimately chose to lift Ryan McMahon for Giancarlo Stanton, who struck out to end the eighth.

It wouldn’t be any surprise to see sparkplug Jose Caballero starting at shortstop against Crochet.

In the ninth, new Stadium villain Aroldis Chapman quickly sealed a save with two strikeouts – leaving Aaron Judge (0-for-3) on deck as the tying run.

Just as he did on June 15 at Fenway Park, when he matched up with Fried in a 2-0 Boston win, the right-handed Bello blanked the Yanks through seven innings.

Entering Friday night, Fried lugged a 6.80 ERA over his last eight starts, but his effective pitch mix was back in working order before a sellout crowd that didn’t have much else to cheer - except maybe the squirrel on the field, visiting the mound and jarring Rice for a moment at first base.

“Using all my pitches, both sides of the plate, got back to pitching…felt like I had a little of everything,’’ said Fried, lifted after six innings and 99 pitches.

“They made him work,’’ said Boone, whose club has now lost six of its last nine Fried starts.

Another this-can’t-bode-well stat: The Yanks are 16-21 vs. AL East opponents, and two games under .500 vs. teams playing over .500.

“We’ve got to find a way to win our division games,’’ said Rice, with the Yanks now desperate just to find their way to a series split with their old rivals, who feel quite at home in the Bronx.

Yankees' Jonathan Loaisiga to be examined Tuesday

Dealing with a right flexor strain, Yankees reliever Jonathan Loaisiga is scheduled to meet Tuesday in Texas with Dr. Keith Meister, the noted orthopedic surgeon.

The oft-injured right-hander originally went on the 15-day injured list Aug. 2, due to mid-back tightness, but developed pain in his elbow area as he began ramping toward a return to the Yankees' bullpen.

In April 2024, Loaisiga underwent internal brace surgery for an ulnar collateral ligament tear. In 30 appearances this year, Loaisiga has a 4.25 ERA, with seven homers allowed in 29.2 innings.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are expecting to activate right-handed reliever Fernando Cruz (oblique) from the IL as early as Monday, the start of a three-game set against the Washington Nationals.

During what is expected to be his final minor league rehab appearance Friday with Class AA Somerset, Cruz went 1.1 innings and yielded a run on one hit, with one walk and two strikeouts.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Red Sox dominance, Yankees mistakes on repeat in Boston's 1-0 win