Red Sox celebrate AL East crown in Yankees’ faces | Rapid reaction

The Red Sox clinched the American League East with a 11-6 win over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Thurday.

NEW YORK — By the time Jonathan Holder took the mound in the eighth inning, there was nothing left to fight for.

Fans were hitting the exits. Stadium workers were busy prepping the visiting clubhouse, hanging plastic everywhere, intent on not letting the celebrating Red Sox soak the wooden lockers with beer and champagne.

The Yankees’ stated goal had been to not let Boston win the American League East and party in their house. They failed.

An 11-6 loss to the Red Sox handed Boston its third-straight division title at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night.

It was close until the eighth inning, when Mookie Betts’ three-run shot to left field off closer Aroldis Chapman, pitching for the first time since Aug. 21 due to injury, made etched the final score.

What it means

The Yankees, who won the series’ first two games, officially can end the charade. It’s no longer about winning the AL East.

It’s about securing the right to host the Wild Card. The loss, combined with the A’s drubbing of the Angels, brought Oakland to within 1 1/2 games of the Yankees for that honor.

But the Rays’ loss to the Blue Jays dropped the Yankees’ magic number to clinch a postseason berth to three.

Disaster

With runners on second and third and one out, reliever Dellin Betances intentionally walked J.D. Martinez to load the bases.

That brought up Xander Bogaerts, who was hitless in three at-bats at the time. Bogaerts came through for Boston, though, lifting a high fly to center field. 

Tzu-Wei Lin, pinch hitting for Christian Vazquez, who had singled, scored easily … because Aaron Hicks didn’t throw home. Instead, Hicks deked like he might go home and instead aired one out to third base. Bad call.

The ball one-hopped defensively-challenged Miguel Andujar, kicked off the heel of his glove and vaulted five rows deep. That allowed Andrew Benintendi, who had doubled, to score, too, turning a one-run game into a two-run deficit.

Tying it up

The Yankees weren’t able to hold Boston down after Stanton’s grand slam.

They got a run in the fifth inning and in the seventh. In the fifth, with struggling starting pitcher Mashiro Tanaka having departed, leaving David Robertson with runners on the corners and and no outs, Didi Gregorius made an incredible backhanded stop to start a double play while also letting a run score. Robertson worked out of the trouble.

But in the seventh, Chad Green gave up a solo shot to No. 8 hitter Jackie BRadley Jr., tying the game at 6-all.

Curtain call

Stanton’s grand slam turned a 4-2 deficit into a two-run lead. The 28-year-old, who had been slumping badly, crushed reliever Heath Hembree’s 0-1 slider on a low line just over the right-field wall.

The slider — down and away — wasn’t a bad pitch. Stanton had to reach to get it.

Hembree had just been tabbed to replace Rodriguez, who walked the bases loaded with Andrew McCutchen, Aaron Hicks and Aaron Judge. Hicks and Judge each worked full counts on Rodriguez, who finished having given up five earned run in 3 2/3 innings while walking an astounding seven batters.

Stanton looked as energized as he’s been in a while after the ball landed in the seats. He slapped the first base coach five. He did his fake-handoff home run ritual with the third base coach. And after he crossed the plate, he gave jumping high-fives to all three Yankees he drove in.

He finished it with a curtain call, riling the stadium.

It was Stanton’s 35th home run on the year but just his second since Aug. 30.

Rough audition

Tanaka may have put his chances to start the Wild Card in jeopardy with a dud, lasting just four innings while surrendering five earned runs.

He entered the night a top candidate, considering he entered the night with a 20-inning scoreless streak.

Down early

The Red Sox built a 3-0 lead through the first two innings. It was 4-2 after three.

Next

Yankees lefty CC Sabathia (7-7, 3.80 ERA) vs. Orioles righty Yefrey Ramirez (1-6, 5.50 ERA) at 7:05 p.m. at Yankee Stadium.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.