Miguel Andujar, Greg Bird and CC Sabathia were the game-changers Friday night as the Yankees dominated the Red Sox 8-1 in their series opener in the Bronx. Andujar, who leads all American League rookies in extra base hits, punched his 12th home run of the year as part of a three-hit night. That 4th inning blast with Didi Gregorius on 2nd, gave the Yankees a 3-1 lead that CC Sabathia protected -- and which eventually grew to 8-1. Bird, the oft-injured 1st baseman with a swing tailor made to Yankee Stadium, reached the seats twice -- his first homer immediately followed Andujar's -- in his best game since returning from ankle surgery this spring.
And how about Sabathia? At age 37, skeptics say he's too old, too awkward... wrong! Reinventing himself as the prototypical "crafty lefty," he uses control and placement to keep opposing hitters off stride. He worked the first seven innings -- the only real blemish an Andrew Benentendi RBI double. Now, stress the positive: CC's 12-0 record after Yankee losses the last two seasons convinced Aaron Boone to rest him on Wednesday night instead of starting the series finale at Philadelphia. The results were seven innings of one-run ball and a big win against the Yankees' fiercest rival.
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