LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Xander Bogaerts blasted a three-run home run as part of a seven-run first inning as the Boston Red Sox took no prisoners on Thursday in clobbering the New York Yankees, 19-3.
Bogaerts also clubbed a solo shot and had four hits, and Rafael Devers and Sandy Leon hit homers in the record-setting victory at Fenway Park.
Boston finished with 10 doubles and 23 hits en route to beating the Yankees for the second time this season.
The 19 runs were the most scored by Boston against New York in the 117-year history of the storied rivalry.
The Boston hitters showed no mercy against starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka of Japan, who allowed 12 runs which is the most earned runs ever allowed by a Yankees pitcher against Boston.
Tanaka walked three and struck out four in just 3 1/3 innings.
The Red Sox wasted no time Thursday, sending 11 men to the plate in the first inning against Tanaka.
Bogaerts had the big blow, and Jackie Bradley and Mookie Betts each added two-run doubles for the 7-0 lead.
The Yankees came right back in the second with four straight one-out hits, including a Gleyber Torres RBI single. A bases-loaded walk later made it 7-2.
The rest of the evening belonged to the savage Boston hitting order which salted the game away with four more runs in the fourth inning.
The Red Sox scored three in the fifth and one in the sixth to go up 16-3.
Starting pitcher Rick Porcello (9-7) got off to a modest start but then grinded his way through six innings, giving up three runs on six hits and striking out five.
