Red Sox Rout Yankees in Bronx, Tighten AL Wild Card Race

The Boston Red Sox pummeled the New York Yankees in the Bronx over a four-game set last week, taking three straight by lopsided margins before the Yankees salvaged the finale Sunday, a swing that has intensified a tight American League wild card race with fewer than six weeks remaining in the regular season. Boston’s run of dominance included a 12-1 rout at Yankee Stadium and a pitching performance by Garrett Crochet that, according to local reports, featured seven strong innings and 11 strikeouts in one of the series victories.

The Red Sox’s early weekend onslaught featured balanced offense and opportunistic hitting. Trevor Story delivered a two-run, two-out double that broke open one game, and Boston collected 17 hits and five walks in the 12-1 win, according to box scores. Manager Alex Cora praised his club’s approach in New York, saying the team “plays well here” and that the Stadium is “a great stage.”

New York’s miscues amplified the damage. The Yankees committed a string of errors across the three-game skid that, by some accounts, exceeded the number of runs they scored in those games, leaving the club exposed at key moments. Aaron Judge, whose recent slump continued...