NEW YORK — Steven Wright set a career high with nine strikeouts in eight effective innings, and David Ortiz homered as the Boston Red Sox stopped an eight-game road losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday night.
In the longest of his 25 career outings, Wright allowed a solo home run to right fielder Carlos Beltran among four hits. He threw 108 pitches while topping his career high for innings pitched for the second consecutive start.
The knuckleballer allowed only six baserunners, confounding an offense that produced 90 runs in the previous 10 games. He struck out Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury three times and fanned first baseman Mark Teixeira twice.
After watching his bullpen get torched for 10 runs Tuesday, Boston manager John Farrell stuck with Wright for the eighth. Wright gave up a leadoff single to catcher John-Ryan Murphy but started a double play on Ellsbury and ended the inning by retiring left fielder Brett Gardner.
Red Sox closer Koji Uehara allowed a one-out single to Teixeira and a two-out walk to third baseman Chase Headley before retiring pinch hitter Brian McCann for his 24th save.
Boston right fielder Alejandro De Aza hit an RBI double in the second inning, and Ortiz homered off Yankees right-hander Luis Severino (0-1) in the fourth.
In his major league debut, Severino allowed only those two hits in five innings. He was given a pitch limit of approximately 100 pitches and reached 94, ending his debut with a check swing strikeout of center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr.
Severino consistently hit the high 90s with his fastball and limited the damage after allowing both runs, one of which was unearned. He struck out seven without issuing a walk.
Severino became the third Yankee to make his major league debut against the Red Sox in the past 51 seasons. At 21 years, 166 days old, Severino also was the youngest pitcher to start in the majors this season and the youngest Yankee to get a start since Phil Hughes at 21 years, 95 days in 2007.
The rookie retired the first five hitters before Mike Napoli reached second on a second-inning throwing error by third baseman Chase Headley. Napoli scored an unearned run three pitches later when De Aza doubled off the center field wall.
Ortiz gave the Red Sox a two-run lead when he opened the fourth by driving a 2-0 fastball into the right field seats. It was the designated hitter’s 20th home run of the year.
NOTES: New York C Brian McCann (left knee) was held out of the starting lineup and an MRI revealed some inflammation around the MCL area. He flied out as a pinch hitter to end the game. … Boston manager John Farrell did not have any updates on LHP Brian Johnson, who was placed on Triple-A Pawtucket’s disabled list with left elbow tightness. … The Red Sox announced OF Daniel Nava was claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Rays. Nava was activated from the DL on July 21 and designated for assignment nine days later. … The Yankees re-signed OF/INF Garrett Jones, who was designated for assignment Friday. … New York optioned RHP Caleb Cotham to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, clearing a spot for RHP Luis Severino. To add Severino to the 40-man roster, RHP Danny Burawa was designated for assignment.
Tigers 2, Royals 1
DETROIT — Matt Boyd recorded his first major league victory in his Detroit Tigers debut, outdueling new Kansas City Royals ace Johnny Cueto in a 2-1 win on Wednesday night at Comerica Park.
The 24-year-old left-hander, obtained in the trade last week that sent ace left-hander David Price to Toronto, gave up one run on seven hits and struck out two in seven innings. Boyd, who lost his two starts with the Blue Jays earlier this season, recorded 15 of his 21 outs through the air.
Alex Wilson got the last out to notch his second save and center fielder Anthony Gose had an RBI triple for the Tigers (52-55).
Making his second start since he was acquired from Cincinnati, Cueto (7-7) allowed two runs on five hits with two strikeouts in seven innings. He took a no-decision at Toronto in his Royals debut.
Designated hitter Kendrys Morales tripled in the only run for the Royals (63-43).
The Tigers took the lead in the third on Gose’s fifth triple of the season. His two-out smash over the head of center fielder Lorenzo Cain knocked in left fielder Tyler Collins, who led off the inning with a double.
Morales’ rare triple evened the score in the fourth. First baseman Eric Hosmer smacked a two-out single before Morales ripped his shot into the left-center gap. It was his first triple since 2012 and the fifth of his career.
Another triple, second baseman Ian Kinsler’s leadoff shot into the right-center gap, led to the next Detroit run. Kinsler scored on designated hitter Victor Martinez’s groundout for a 2-1 edge in the fourth.