NEW YORK -- When Max Fried’s left elbow began barking again two weeks ago, the Yankees left-hander said he was willing to take the ball and pitch through the discomfort. Those in charge of such decisions opted against the idea, believing that rest and recovery would serve him better.
Reinstated from the 15-day injured list on Saturday, the Yankees weren’t expecting Fried to go deep into the game. Simply having him back on the mound for their 9-2 victory over the Red Sox offered encouragement, a sign that their rotation could be whole when they need it most.
“I was definitely a lot sharper earlier than late, but it was nice to get back out there and get the competitive juices flowing,” Fried said. “At the end of the day, just us being able to win the game was really big. I’m happy we were able to do that.”
Fried tossed 63 pitches over 3 2/3 innings, and the Yankees stroked 13 singles to fuel their early rally and late surge, securing a split of Saturday’s separate-admission doubleheader. New York dropped the first game, 6-0.
The division rivals have split a dozen games this season, setting up Sunday’s 1:35 p.m. ET contest to determine a potential playoff tiebreaker. The Yankees are three games ahead of the Red Sox for the American League’s top Wild Card spot.
“It’s very important,” Luis García Jr. said through interpreter Marlon Abreu. “We’re battling. We have a clear objective. So every victory is going to be very important for us. We’re very excited about it.”
Each spot in the Yankees’ lineup scored one run on Saturday. Powered by a five-run eighth, their nine runs were their most in a game without an extra-base hit since Sept. 16, 1956, vs. Cleveland, when they scored 10.
“There were a lot of contributions, up and down,” manager Aaron Boone said. “It was a good night for us to salvage one of these two today. We have an opportunity to have a really good series.”
At least initially, the Yankees’ enthusiasm was tempered by the early departure of rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr., who underwent imaging at New York-Presbyterian after experiencing right knee discomfort. Boone said Lombard could be considered day to day.
Lombard sustained the injury during a second-inning at-bat, appearing to tweak his right knee on a checked swing. He remained in the game and stroked a single, but was lifted after the third inning.
“It was kind of a weird thing,” José Caballero said. “Maybe the cleat got stuck and he tried to rotate, and the cleat didn’t let him. That’s my guess.”
Fried missed time following his most recent start on Aug. 13 vs. Seattle, sensing a recurrence of a left elbow bone bruise that he likened earlier in the season to “the banging of two bones back there.”
Touched for a Nick Sogard solo homer in the third inning, Fried permitted three hits and a walk, striking out four. He said he is “very confident” that he will be able to finish the season without further interruption.
“I was feeling good going into the game,” Fried said. “It was just one little pitch that irritated it. To be able to get through, feel really good and come out healthy, that’s all I can ask for.”
After being limited to one run through their previous 18 innings, the Yanks dinged bulk reliever Brayan Bello for a three-run outburst in the third.
Caballero singled, stole second and scored on Ben Rice’s run-scoring single. García and Jazz Chisholm Jr. picked up RBIs on a fielder’s-choice grounder and a sacrifice fly, respectively.
Despite the lopsided outcome, Paul Blackburn faced a key spot in the sixth inning, when Boston put the first two batters on against Michael Fulmer. Blackburn extinguished the threat with two strikeouts and a fly ball.
“That’s been him,” Boone said. “In a lot of ways, that’s the game in the balance right there. Heart of the order coming up, two guys on, nobody out. We’ve got to shut it down right there.”
Spencer Jones added a sacrifice fly in the home half, capping a 10-pitch plate appearance to push New York further ahead. The Yankees broke the game open with a five-run eighth, with Amed Rosario, Austin Wells and Rice all picking up RBIs.
“It’s huge to pass the baton to the guy behind you, knowing that we all together can do damage like we did today,” Caballero said. “Trusting everyone is huge, and today was a big example of that.”