Bennett leads Red Sox to possible four-game sweep of Yankees

BOSTON – Now at the midpoint of their season, the 35-46 Red Sox appeared to be hitting their stride at last. Even though a finish with a 70-92 record is something team evaluators couldn’t have imagined back in Spring Training, there could still be time for interim manager Chad Tracy’s team to make the summer interesting, particularly given the state of the American League Wild Card race.
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park, the Red Sox defeated the rival Yankees 4-1 for the third straight day and aimed for the rare four-game sweep on Sunday Night Baseball. The three-game winning streak matched a season high, accomplished three times previously.
What mattered most from the game:
1. Bennett extends rotation dominance
For the first time since 1988, the Red Sox reeled off a string of 10 consecutive quality starts. Jake Bennett, one of three rookies in the starting rotation, kept the momentum going Saturday, allowing just three hits and one run over a career-high 6 1/3 innings, which included two walks and three strikeouts. During this quality start streak, Red Sox starters boasted a 1.69 ERA. The 1988 streak, which lasted from April 8-25, extended to 14 games.
2. Seigler’s first career homer
With middle infielders Trevor Story, Marcelo Mayer, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa all sidelined at the same time, Anthony Seigler has been a regular presence in Tracy’s lineup lately. In the bottom of the second inning against Gerrit Cole, Seigler hit a solo homer just above the Green Monster, celebrating his first career home run in 44 games as he rounded the bases. The second baseman later made a nice sliding stop on a grounder hit by Anthony Volpe to end the top of the fifth inning.
3. Yoshida provides early spark
Entering Saturday, Masataka Yoshida had a low .450 OPS in 44 plate appearances in June. However, he quickly turned things around by blasting Cole’s second pitch of the afternoon into the Boston bullpen. In his next at-bat, Yoshida recorded an RBI single. With the Red Sox not receiving much from the leadoff spot or designated hitter recently, any resurgence from Yoshida would be welcomed.