Yankees vs. Red Sox score: Judge powers Yankees to Bronx sweep of rival Red Sox

The Yankees won their sixth game in a row on Sunday night

The New York Yankees outlasted the Boston Red Sox in the Bronx on Sunday night by a score of 9-7 (box score) to complete a three-game sweep. The Yankees have now won six and a row and stand at 7-1 overall with a two-game lead over the Orioles in the AL East. The Red Sox, meantime, are now 3-7 for 2020. 

The Yankees are now 17-5 against the Red Sox since Opening Day 2019, including 9-1 at Yankee Stadium. 

Now for some quick takeaways from this one. 

Paxton's velocity was still down

James Paxton's velocity was an issue in his first start of the season, and his Sunday night start against Boston didn't yield better results. 

In related matters, Paxton lasted just three innings and allowed five runs (three earned) on seven hits. After averaging 95.7 mph with his fastball last year, Paxton didn't throw a pitch harder than 92.1 mph in his first start. On Sunday night, his fastball velocity topped out at 92.9, but Paxton also threw three four-seamers that registered in the 80s. Overall on Sunday, Paxton's fastball averaged 91.5 mph. In his first start, it averaged 92 mph.  

During an in-game interview, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Paxton "feels healthy" and suggested that getting back his vintage velo is just a matter of mechanical tweaks. The Yankees had better hope it's fixable and not the result of an underlying injury, as they're not exactly blessed with rotation depth right now. 

Judge stays hot

Yanks slugger Aaron Judge homered twice against Boston on Sunday night. He's now homered in five straight games with six overall. In doing so, he becomes the first Yankee since Alex Rodriguez in 2007 to homer in at least five straight games. Ken Griffey Jr. of the Mariners (1993), Don Mattingly of the Yankees (1987) and Dale Long of the Pirates (1956) share the all-time record with home runs in eight consecutive games. The way Judge is going -- healthy and taking full advantage of what appears to yet again be a juiced-up baseball -- it wouldn't surprise if he broke that mark. 

He's now batting .290/.371/.903 on the season, and each of those six homers have either tied the game or put the Yankees on top. Consider him the early favorite for AL MVP honors.  

Bogaerts homers twice

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts soldiers on as one of the most underrated players in baseball. He's a shortstop who over the last two seasons has a total of 156 extra-base hits with an OPS+ of 137. Those are "All-Star first baseman" numbers, but instead Bogaerts pins down the most important position on the diamond (catcher excepted). He'd been off to a bit of a slow start in 2020, but after homering twice and racking up 11 total bases on Sunday night he's now slashing .333/.371/.667. 

[Aug 2, 2020 at 8:55 pm ET · Dayn Perry]

And nine total bases.

[Aug 2, 2020 at 8:52 pm ET · Dayn Perry]

Make it two homers for Bogaerts tonight.

[Aug 2, 2020 at 8:28 pm ET · Dayn Perry]

Urshela just keeps hitting. No sign of letting up coming off his surprise breakout season in 2019.

[Aug 2, 2020 at 8:01 pm ET · Dayn Perry]

419 feet and 107.9 mph off the bat for Judge on that homer.

[Aug 2, 2020 at 7:58 pm ET · Dayn Perry]

That's a homer in five straight games for Aaron Judge.

[Aug 2, 2020 at 7:55 pm ET · Dayn Perry]

https://twitter.com/StatsCentr...

[Aug 2, 2020 at 7:41 pm ET · Dayn Perry]

Paxton's velocity still an issue. That was a problem in his first start of 2020, too.