Luis Urías becomes first Red Sox player to hit grand slams on consecutive pitches, Boston beats Yankees 8-1 (2024)

Red Sox

Red Sox are 7-1 against the Yankees in 2023.

By LARRY FLEISHER, Associated Press

August 19, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — Until a couple of days ago, Luis Urias of the Boston Red Sox had never hit a grand slam in the Major Leagues. Now the light-hitting infielder is in a category with Hall of Famer Jimmy Foxx.

Urias became the first Red Sox player to hit grand slams on consecutive pitches and the first in 80 years to hit slams in consecutive games in leading Boston to an 8-1 victory over the fading Yankees Saturday, sending New York to its seventh straight loss.

Urias cleared the bases in his last at-bat against Washington reliever Robert Garcia on Thursday night and the ninth-place hitter stunned Yankees ace Gerrit Cole in the second inning with a blast to left center.

Urias, who was acquired from Milwaukee in a deal at the trade deadline, is the first Red Sox to hit grand slams in consecutive games since Foxx on May 20-21 in 1940. He also is the first player in the majors to hit grand slams in consecutive trips to the plate since Josh Willingham with Washington in 2009.

Before hitting the grand slam, the infielder had a combined .181 average with Milwaukee and Boston.

“I never hit a grand slam in my career, not even winter leagues, not even minor leagues,” Urías said through a translator. “Now I have two and I have one against the Yankees in one of the biggest rivalries in baseball. So I’m very excited for it.”

The last Boston player to hit grand slams in consecutive plate appearance was Bill Mueller, who did it in the seventh and eighth inning at Texas on July 29, 2003.

“Urías just demolished a slider. It’s just right there on the corner down and away. It’s a beautiful pitch but a better swing.” said Cole, who also gave up a two-run drive to eighth-place hitter Connor Wong in the fourth, the last inning of his shortest outing of the season.

After, allowing the catcher’s seventh homer, Cole (10-4) stared blankly towards right field in disbelief. Cole tied a season high by allowing six runs for the third time and gave up seven hits.

Kutter Crawford no-hit New York for 5 1/3 innings until Aaron Judge homered for the second straight game on the right-hander’s 67th pitch.

The losing streak is the longest for New York since Sept. 4-10, 2021. At 60-63, New York is three games under this late in the season for the first time since they were 56-59 following a win over the Angels on Aug. 30, 1995.

“We’re scuffling a right now in a lot of places,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

The Yankees lost their sixth straight to the Red Sox and were held to two runs or fewer for the 41st time.

Boston won for the eighth time in 12 games and produced 12 hits for the second straight game. The Red Sox (65-58) pulled within striking distance of Seattle for the final wild-card spot.

“The at-bats were tremendous today,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “He’s one of the best if not the best starters in the big leagues.”

Pablo Reyes added an RBI ground-rule double in the eighth on a ball that went over left fielder Greg Allen’s head and bounced into the stands, prompting a few “Let’s Go Red Sox” chants from the stands. Rafael Devers opened the ninth by homering on a 3-0 pitch.

After falling behind, the Yankees ran themselves out of the second on a failed bunt attempt.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa attempted to bunt but softly popped up to Wong, who quickly doubled off Giancarlo Stanton, who was nearing second.

Crawford prevented the Yankees from rallying further when he ended the sixth by striking out Stanton.

Crawford matched a season-high by pitching six innings. He struck out five, walked two and allowed two baserunners.

“Being able to go six innings is great but more of it is on the offense,” Crawford said. “They jumped out early, I had an early lead and it’s a lot easier to pitch when you have a six-run lead.”

Turner strikes again

In the fifth, Boston’s Justin Turner hit a foul ball into the Yankee radio booth but this time it did not hit play-by-play man John Sterling. In the ninth inning on June 10, Turner hit a foul ball that hit Sterling in the head. He signed a ball for the longtime announcer the following day.

Trainer’s room

Red Sox: 1B Tristan Casas (tooth infection) was scratched from the original lineup.

Up next

RHP Clarke Schmidt (8-7, 4.76 ERA) starts for the Yankees Sunday and Nick Pivetta (8-6, 4.34) will either start or follow an opener for Boston.