Well, Kansas City have left town, but Boston have arrived. The Red Sox bring with them a strong rivalry which means the Yankees’ fans both love having them here and hate them at the same time. Fun as long as nobody takes it too far, and makes it ugly.

Nestor Cortes is starting pitcher today. It is not too long since he was undeservedly demoted to the bullpen, but a strong performance in long relief means that he is back in the starting rotation, with Marcus Stroman now working out of the bullpen.

Cortes struck out the first two batters up – Jarren Duran and Rafael Devers. After they had returned to the dugout, Romy Gonzalez made the first meaningful contact, but he lined out to Aaron Judge, who is in centerfield tonight.

Gleyber Torres was the first batter up for the Yankees, and also the first to clear the outfield wall. He hit one over the centerfield fence off Cooper Criswell. The Yankees, unsurprisingly couldn’t maintain that momentum, with Juan Soto grounding out (1-3), Aaron Judge flying out into rightfield, and Austin Wells striking out. 1-0.

Boston came close to getting back into the game in the second with Connor Wong hitting a double into centerfield after Tyler O’Neill‘s strike out. Wong moved up to third on a Trevor Story ground out. Then, Cortes walked Danny Jansen– giving the Red Sox runners on first and third with two outs. Wilyer Abreu was the man tasked with tieing the score, but clever pitching work from Nasty Nestor saw him strike out..

The Yankees also had an opportunity as the second saw them close to extending their narrow lead. Giancarlo Stanton is either a blessing or a liability. If he is found on first at the head of an inning, it is almost as much a liability if he had got out. He chokes up the basepaths. He led off the inning with a walk and the liability came into play. Jazz Chisholm jr lined out to centerfielder. Jasson Dominguez singled into right field moving Stanton up to second. A flyout to centerfield by Anthony Rizzo made for two outs. Finally, Anthony Volpe hit a ground ball which allowed Boston to throw out Dominguez, and end the inning. There would have been a lot of logic in pinch running for Stanton.

In the third, Cortes continued to dominate with two strikeouts (Cedanne Rafaela and Devers) with Duran’s flyout being the meat in the sandwich.

The Yankees, though, could not press home the advantage and they too went down in order with Torres flying out, Soto striking out, and then Aaron Judge flying out to centerfielder Rafaela. The top of the Yankees’ batting line-up has by far their strongest chance of scoring, but they are not realising those opportunities often enough at the moment.

Cortes showed the beginnings of a struggle in the 4th, but he managed to escape. He began by striking out Romy Gonzalez, but walks to O’Neill and Wong created the problem. However, Story hit into a 5-3 doubleplay and things turned around.

Austin Wells flied out in the bottom of the 4th, but then a Stanton single to rightfield opened up the possibilities and the problems again. Chisholm was gifted a walk. Dominguez struck out, but an Anthony Rizzo hit by pitch loaded the bases. It must be noted that now the bases were loaded but Stanton was on third. A fly out by Volpe to Duran in leftfield ended the inning with no further score.

The Yankees wasting those opportunities was going to tell, and all of a sudden it did. Danny Jansen’s 9th home run of the season cleared the fence in leftfield and Cortes looked like he was going to come away with a no decision. But, it looked like it might get worse. Abreu hit a single and then stole second. But Cortes was capable of working his way back on top. He struck out Rafaela and made Duran fly out to Dominguez in centerfield. But there was another wobble for Nestor – a wild pitch allowed Abreu to advance to third. And Devers – a Boston danger man – was next up. Again, Cortes did everything neccessary, striking him out. 1-1.

The bottom of the 5th was not good for the Yankees. Torres flied out to Duran. Soto walked. But then Judge hit into a 5-4 doubleplay and the Yankees had to scratch their heads and rethink the plot as the top of the lineup didn’t reach its goal again.

Into the 6th and the Yankees replaced Cortes with Ian Hamilton who was settling back in after having returned from injury. He struck out Gonzalez and O’Neill, and a Wong ground out closed out a straightforward inning.

The Red Sox were about to gift the Yankees another chance. Wells hit a single. And Stanton swinging a little too hard was the first out. Boston made their first pitching change with Cam Booser replacing Criswell. He did not dominate. Jazz Chisholm jr hit a single into rightfield, moving Wells up to second. With Dominguez at bat, Chisholm attempted to advance to second and was picked off. However, Booser kinda lost the plot after that and completed a walk to Dominguez, followed by a walk to Rizzo to load the bases. Booser had his moments and was replaced by Zack Kelly. Kelly did enough to cause Volpe to line out.

into the 7th. Story popped out and Hamilton’s great performance came to a conclusion with Jansen being called out on strikes. Time for a change. Hamilton is only one of the surprising successes that the Yankees have placed in their bullpen over recent times. Next up, Tim Hill for his second appearance in consecutive games.

He ended the inning with causung Abreu to hit into a 6-3 groundout.

Boston moved onto their fourth pitcher, with Justin Staten replacing Zack Kelly. Torres lined out, Soto struck out, but this time the top of the line-up might get some where. Judge hit a single into centerfield. But the optimism ended as clean-up man Austin Wells grounded out.

Hill took the Red Sox down in order with a Rafaela line out, a Duran strikeout and a ground out for Devers.

Another Red Sox reliever entered in the 8th. They were doing well but you did get the impression that Boston were going through the corps a little too quickly. But Chris Martin ploughed through the middle order of Stanton, Chisholm, and Dominguez with two strikeouts.

Tommy Kahnle is the Yankees’ finest reliever in recent months in a bullpen that doesn’t buckle often. The Red Sox brought in Masataka Yoshida to try and break it open, but Kahnle got him to ground out. But then, surprisingly, the Red Sox gained a chance. First, O’Neill hit a double into centerfield and then Kahnle walked Wong. However, Kahnle is the man to stay calm in choppy waters. He struck out Story. Boston brought in pinch hitter Triston Casas and a sharp fly out dropped into the glove of Judge. Inning over.

it really looked like the Yankees were heading for an extra innings game for the second night in a row. And the Red Sox decided to switch up the defense to give them the best chance to achieve that and also give him the best opportunity in the “ghost-runner” situation, which has not been a strength of the Yankees prior to yesterday.

Nick Sogard came in at second. Connor Wong moved to catcher. Triston Casas remained in the game and played first base. Finally, they used yet another relief pitcher with Kenley Jansen on the mound..

It is difficult not to admire Jansen. His windup is one speed. His pitch another. He is deceptive. I wouldn’t want to face him in a pickup game.

Rizzo grounded out. So did Volpe. Torres was even more baffled and struck out. The educated viewer will now note that next up for the Yankees would be Soto and Judge with Torres, who has some speed, on second. The top of the line-up couldn’t fail all the time surely.

But first the Yankees must get through the top of the 10th reasonably intact. First, Kahnle returned to get Abreu to ground out. But then to groans from some of the faithful, Clay Holmes was brought in. The fans remember his blown saves much better than his saves. Rafaela grounded out third to first, and confidence in Holmes took a turn for the better. Boston decided to maximise their base running opportunities by lifting Triston Casas for former Yankee, Rob Refsnyder. It didn’t matter either way, Duran hit a fly out to Dominguez. Three out. 1-1.

Red Sox decided to undertake yet another pitching change. This time crucially they brought in Josh Winckowski for Kenley Jansen. Jansen had been so dominant in the 9th. Enmanuel Valdez replaced Refsnyder. Sogard moved from second to first. Perhaps surprisingly, the Yankees brought in Jon Berti for Torres. Berti has the edge in speed but not by much.

It was the Winckowski for Jansen swap that would cost the Red Sox.

Juan Soto had never hit a walk off winner until tonight. That is no longer the case. A single to centerfield and Berti was sprinting round the bases.

And once again, we were “spreading the news” that the Yankees were edging toward the postseason…