by BOSTON – Jacoby Ellsbury (Navajo) had four hits, and Adam Warren took a one-hit shutout into the sixth inning Sunday night to lead the New York Yankees to an 8-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
It was the first time the Yankees swept the Red Sox in a series of three games or more since a five-game sweep in 2006.
Ellsbury was also hit by a pitch and walked, reaching base a career-high six times. Mark Teixeira and Brett Gardner homered for the Yankees, who have won 13 of 16 games since starting the season 3-6.
Warren (2-1) allowed four runs in 5 2-3 innings. Andrew Miller struck out two and walked two before third baseman Chase Headley struggled to field Dustin Pedroia’s grounder, loading the bases. Miller got David Ortiz on a line drive to centre for his 10th save.
New York opened an 8-0 lead and then held on after Boston scored five runs and brought the tying run to the plate in the sixth.
The Red Sox lost for the eighth time in 11 games to fall below .500 for the first time this season. Mike Napoli hit a three-run homer in the sixth, the only inning Boston scored.
Teixeira’s two-run homer gave New York the lead in the first. The Yankees made it 5-0 against Joe Kelly (1-1) in the third on back-to-back doubles by Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran. And they took an 8-0 lead in the sixth on Gardner’s three-run homer.
Warren, who didn’t allow his first hit until Mookie Betts doubled to lead off the fourth, still had a one-hit shutout with two out in the sixth. But he gave up a single to Dustin Pedroia and an RBI double to David Ortiz before hitting Hanley Ramirez with a pitch. Pablo Sandoval followed with an RBI single to left.
Esmil Rogers relieved Warren and Napoli hit his second pitch into the first row of the Monster Seats. Daniel Nava walked and Xander Bogaerts singled before Blake Swihart, who made his major-league debut on Saturday, struck out to end the inning.
Ramirez threw his bat aside and motioned angrily after being hit by the pitch. But it wasn’t until Ellsbury was plunked in the eighth that the umpires warned both benches.
We need an update on Ellsbury. He is not first in the American League in hitting, stolen bases and runs scored and is second in the league in hits and on base percentage. Also there is a great article on Ellsbury and his mother on mlb.com: http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/123016810/jacoby-ellsburys-tireless-work-ethic-traces-to-mother