Red Sox Halt Yankees’ Four‑Game Streak With 7–5 Victory
Five‑Run Third Inning Proves Decisive; Brewer Strong in Relief as Boston Evens Season Series
NEW YORK, April 26 — The Boston Red Sox made the most of a one‑day stopover at Yankee Stadium yesterday, capitalizing on a costly defensive lapse and steady relief pitching to defeat New York, 7–5, and end the Yankees’ four‑game winning streak. It was the Yankees’ first home loss of the season.
A dropped fly ball by left fielder Hector Lopez opened the door to a five‑run Boston rally in the third inning, and the Red Sox never relinquished the lead. Boston starter Jerry Casale, who had beaten the Yankees last week, earned his second victory of the year against them, though he needed help from reliever Tom Brewer to finish the job.
Yankees Strike First
New York scored in the opening inning. A walk, a forceout, and a wild pitch set the stage for Yogi Berra’s run‑scoring single. Rookie right‑hander John Gabler, who had blanked Boston in his previous outing, worked two quiet innings before trouble arrived.
Red Sox Break Through in the Third
The third inning turned the game. Lou Clinton lifted a routine fly to left that Lopez dropped, allowing Clinton to reach third. Gabler struck out Ed Sadowski, but Boston then strung together three straight singles by Casale, Don Buddin, and Pete Runnels, producing two runs.
A walk to Frank Malzone loaded the bases, and Vic Wertz followed with a sharp single off Gabler’s leg, scoring two more. Gary Geiger added another run with a single to right, and the Yankees trailed 5–1 when manager Casey Stengel summoned Ralph Terry from the bullpen.
Yankees’ Power Shows
New York chipped away with home runs. Bill Skowron drove a long shot into the left‑field upper deck in the fourth, and in the sixth, Mickey Mantle singled ahead of Berra, who belted his first homer of the season to cut the deficit to 5–4. Skowron then doubled, prompting Boston to call on Brewer.
Brewer struck out Gil McDougald, then escaped when Elston Howard lined sharply to Runnels, who made a leaping catch and doubled Skowron off second.
Boston Adds Insurance
Boston regained breathing room in the seventh when Runnels’ looping hit skipped past Lopez for a triple. Wertz’s sacrifice fly brought him home. In the eighth, Sadowski hit his first major‑league home run off Art Ditmar, extending the lead to 7–4.
Yankees’ Last Rally Falls Short
Mantle doubled in the eighth and scored on Berra’s single, but Brewer induced a double play to end the inning. The Yankees went down quietly in the ninth, giving Brewer a four‑inning relief stint in which he allowed one run and benefited from two double plays.
Yankees’ Big Bats Still Active
Berra continued his torrid early‑season hitting with three hits, including a homer, and has driven in seven runs in his last eight at‑bats. Skowron added a home run and a double, and Mantle collected two hits.
But the Yankees were unable to overcome the third‑inning breakdown or Boston’s timely hitting.
Notes
- Lopez, who struggled in the field, also ran into an out on the bases in the sixth, ending a potential rally.
- Bobby Shantz, making his first appearance since last August, pitched two effective innings for New York, striking out three.
- Boston manager Bill Jurges addressed reports of clubhouse discord before the game; players offered no public comment.
- Roger Maris, sidelined with injury, was back in uniform and may return to the lineup today when Washington visits.
Courtesy of The Newark Star-Ledger April 27, 1960 via Newspapers.com