The numbers were ugly: four errors, three unearned runs, nine walks.
The Yankees opened their series against the Red Sox with a 6-3 loss in The Bronx that was marred by poor, sloppy play throughout — fitting on a night in which fans lined up hours before the gates opened to secure a George Costanza bobblehead giveaway, since the Yankees played like they were inspired by the Seinfeld character to open a crucial homestand.
“Just not a real clean game for us,” Aaron Boone said when it was finally over, since the game took 3:25.
Their five-game winning streak ended and their lead over Boston for the top AL wild-card spot fell to half a game.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. reacts after his error during the Yankees’ loss to the Red Sox on Aug. 21.Robert Sabo for the NY Post
Roman Anthony hits an RBI single during the Yankees’ 4-3 loss to the Red Sox on Aug. 21, 2025.Charles Wenzelberg
“I feel like we beat ourselves,” said Jazz Chisholm Jr., who made one of the errors.
It was hardly what the sellout crowd had in mind in the highly-anticipated meeting between the pair of AL East rivals preparing for a stretch run.
And it was a slog from the start, as Luis Gil worked around a pair of walks in the first inning, but was unable to overcome three errors in the second inning alone.
Despite all the free passes and free bases, the Yankees remained in the game — partly because the Red Sox went 3-for-19 with runners in scoring position.
And it was an unlikely culprit who ended up allowing the go-ahead run, as Luke Weaver struggled in the seventh inning of what was a tie game.
The right-hander has been superb for much of the season, so when he entered in the top of the seventh and immediately allowed a single to Trevor Story and an RBI double to Nathaniel Lowe, it stunned the sellout crowd in The Bronx.
Ryan McMahon reacts after striking out with the bases loaded during the Yankees’ loss to the Red Sox.Charles Wenzelberg
And the Yankees, who’d tied an MLB record by hitting 14 homers over their previous two games.
It was the sixth time in seven meetings this season the Yankees have lost to the Red Sox, who had dropped three in a row entering the game.
“We can’t fix what happened tonight,” Paul Goldschmidt said. “Any time you make errors, of course four, it’s gonna be hard to overcome.”
Gil gave up just one earned run in five innings, pitching out of trouble throughout his outing.
After walking two in the first, he was unable to overcome three errors in the second.
The right-hander made a fielding error on a Masataka Yoshida comebacker to open the second and Chisholm followed with a throwing error on what could have been a double play, which allowed Ceddanne Rafaela to get to second.
And only a diving play by Ryan McMahon at third prevented a Ben Rice throwing error on Rafaela’s steal of third.
The sloppiness continued when Rice then threw the ball into center field on David Hamilton’s swipe of second — which allowed Rafaela to score the game’s first run.
The Yankees lost the first game of the series to the Red Sox on Aug. 21.Charles Wenzelberg
Boston followed with a mistake of its own, as Gil picked off Hamilton at third.
Rice tied the game with a leadoff homer into the bleachers in right field in the bottom of the inning, his 20th of the year.
The Yankees took the lead in the fourth, as Chisholm singled, stole second and got to third on a throwing error by Carlos Narváez.
Luke Weaver throws a pitch during the Yankees’ Aug. 21 loss to the Red Sox.Charles Wenzelberg
With the infield in, Goldschmidt singled to center to make it 2-1.
Boston tied it in the fifth before an RBI single by Chisholm put the Yankees up again.
But McMahon struck out with the bases loaded to keep it a one-run game and Camilo Doval’s struggles since joining the Yankees continued, as he gave up the tying run in the sixth.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. reacts after striking out during the Yankees’ loss to the Red Sox,Charles Wenzelberg
Then, the typically reliable Weaver gave up a leadoff single to Story and a go-ahead double to Lowe.
Rice did more damage in the seventh, with a one-out triple off ex-Met Steven Matz.
But Chisholm struck out and Goldschmidt popped out to strand Rice at third.
And after a Goldschmidt error, Yerry De los Santos gave up a two-run shot to Roman Anthony in the ninth.
“It could have been a different game,’’ Goldschmidt said. “You make it hard on yourself when you do that.”
