BOSTON (AP) — The New York Yankees officially ended Boston’s three-year reign as AL East champs, blanking the Red Sox 5-0 Monday night behind another big effort by James Paxton.
Hours after the Red Sox parted ways with team president Dave Dombrowski, and right after former star David Ortiz returned to Fenway Park three months after being shot, they were shut out at home for the first time this season. Boston dropped 18 ½ games behind the division-leading Yankees with 18 games left.
The defending World Series champion Red Sox are still in playoff contention, but barely.