Yankees break records, beat Red Sox | Rapid reaction

The Yankees beat the Red Sox, 8-5, at Fenway Park on Saturday, establishing a new single-season franchise home-run total.

BOSTON — The game didn’t matter.

The moments did.

With the Yankees and Red Sox going through the motions, their playoff fates sealed, New York still pulled off a trio of memorable feats in a 8-5 win at Fenway Park on a cool Saturday afternoon.

• The win gave the Yankees their first 100-win season since 2009, the year they last won a World Series. They won 103 games that year.
• Gleyber Torres’ blast gave the Yankees their 265th home run, establishing a new major-league single-season record. It snapped the record the Mariners had held since 1997. Torres was hitting ninth, which also gave the Yankees at least 20 blasts or more from every batting order position.
• Miguel Andujar collected his 45th double, breaking the rookie mark Joe Dimaggio set in 1936. He collected his 46th double later in the game. With one more Sunday, he’ll break the American League rookie record Fred Lynn set in 1975.

What’s next

The Yankees will finish the regular season with Sunday afternoon’s game against Fenway Park. Boston has clinched home-field advantage in the AL Division Series.

Manager Aaron Boone still has to pick a starting pitcher for the American League Wild Card Game vs. the A’s at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.

Look out

A fan hit Giancarlo Stanton with his own home run ball.

Stanton crushed a shot over the Green Monster in the seventh inning to make it 8-2 Yankees. Replay showed the fan collecting the ball, winding up and throwing it as hard as he could at the field.

The ball hopped once before striking Stanton in the shoulder as he rounded second base. Stanton motioned to the crowd, as if to ask, “What are you doing?” Third base coach Phil Nevin pulled aside the umpires to make sure somebody threw the guy out of the stadium.

Likely, since it’s Boston, one of the guards probably bought him a beer.

In 2015, a fan threw a home run ball back and hit Brett Gardner in the back of the head while he was playing left field. Gardner had a lump on his head for days.

Way too close

Jonathan Holder was asked to get the last three outs with a five-run lead. Instead, he gave up a two-run homer to Brock Holt — with no outs.

The Yankees turned the ball over to Aroldis Chapman with one out and a man on base. He made it runners on second and first with two outs and Jackie Bradley Jr. up. Chapman struck Bradley out swinging to end it.

Getting work in

After clinching the Wild Card home field with Friday’s win, the Yankees had some things they wanted to accomplish.

On Saturday, that was get Lance Lynn work out of the bullpen, and get work in for shortstop Didi Gregorius and Aaron Hicks, who each missed time due to injury last week. They also wanted to rest right fielder Aaron Judge.

It all worked out.

Lynn, who will pitch in relief in the playoffs, threw three innings. He came in the third inning, giving up a run while striking out four, walking one and allowing two hits. Sonny Gray also gave the Yankees two scoreless innings in relief, striking out two. Starting pitcher Domingo German lasted 1 1/3 innings.

You should know

Rookie southpaw Stephen Tarpley, in his bid to make the postseason roster as a lefty specialist, got two outs.

Stanton also doubled.

Greg Bird, in his first start since Sept. 12, had two hits in four at-bats.

Next

To be announced Yankees starting pitcher vs. Red Sox righty Rick Porcello (17-7, 4.33 ERA) at 3:05 p.m. Sunday at Fenway Park.

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