Masataka Yoshida hit a go-ahead two-run single off Clay Holmes during a three-run eighth inning, helping the Boston Red Sox beat the struggling New York Yankees 9-7 on Friday night, despite Aaron Judge’s 470-foot home run.
Judge hit his major league-leading 36th homer, a three-run blast in the seventh inning on a Zack Kelly cutter. The ball landed in a small section of stands above a back wall and below a videoboard.
“I try not to watch ’em,” Judge said. “I had to check the replay to see where it went.”
The home run, which was the fifth-longest of Judge’s career, put New York ahead 6-4. Austin Wells then hit a solo homer over right fielder Tyler O’Neill, who fell into the stands.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora mentioned that Manny Ramirez hit a ball to a similar spot in 2007.
“The big boy, he is amazing, man. I haven’t seen a guy hit a ball there since ‘07,” Cora said. “That was impressive, but our guys kept battling.”
Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who has seen many games at Fenway, was impressed with Judge’s hit.
“I just know when he squared it up, I was like: That’s about as clean as you can hit a baseball,” he said.
Ceddanne Rafaela hit a two-run home run against Luke Weaver in the bottom of the seventh, making the score 7-6. The ball went over the Green Monster and out of Fenway Park.
“As a baseball player, these are the games you want to play,” Rafaela said. “It’s awesome.”
Weaver (4-2) gave up Rob Refsnyder’s third hit of the night and walked Connor Wong to start the eighth inning.
Holmes came in with one out, his second appearance since July 14, and gave up Wilyer Abreu’s tying double on an up sinker. Holmes has blown four of his last six save opportunities and seven of 28 this season.
Yoshida took two sliders for balls and then singled on another up sinker.
“Yeah, obviously being able to win in a game like this, that’s why I came here,” Yoshida said through a translator.
