MLB: Jazz Chisholm Jr. shines as Yankees down Red Sox

NEW YORK: Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a three-run homer in a five-run first inning as the host New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 9-6 after racing out to a big lead in a Major League Baseball (MLB) clash here at Yankee Stadium on Friday.

Chisholm Jr. had three hits, a homer, four RBI and stole two bases as well to help his team clinch a victory in the first meeting of the season between the rivals.

Anthony Volpe also homered in the first inning, but he then left the game after he was hit by an 88.2 mph pitch on the left elbow from Walker Buehler in the second and was replaced at the start of the fourth inning.

Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone confirmed that X-rays and a CT scan were negative.

Aaron Judge had three hits, marking his ninth game with three or more hits. He also had an RBI single in the fifth inning, raising his major league-leading average to .397. Paul Goldschmidt also homered for the Yankees, who raced to a 7-0 lead after the second and 8-1 following the fifth.

Chisholm Jr. added an RBI single in the third and is now 5-for-7 lifetime in the regular season against Buehler. He finished with three hits and is 8-for-16 in four games since returning Tuesday from a 28-game absence due to an oblique strain.

The Yankees won for the 20th time in 27 games since dropping three straight May 3-5.

Marcelo Mayer hit a homer in the fifth, which was the first of his career and Rafael Devers slugged a two-run drive in the seventh for the Red Sox, who lost their ninth game in the last 12 appearances. 

Wilyer Abreu lifted a sacrifice fly in the sixth and pinch hitter Romy Gonzalez had a two-run single in the sixth.

New York's Will Warren (4-3) permitted four runs on three hits in five and one-third innings he pitched, walked four and struck out six.

Yankees Ryan Yarbrough (3-0) will start against Red Sox Garrett Crochet (5-4) on Saturday.