Nathan Eovaldi bit by the home run ball in his first start of the 2022 season
Eovaldi was not involved in the decision after Garrett Whitlock giving up a solo-homer to DJ LeMathieu in the eight inning
Red Sox ace Nathan Eovaldi earned his third straight Opening Day start and he did not disappoint. However, he was bit by the home run ball twice on Friday. The power right-hander went five innings in his season debut but unfortunately the bullpen was not able to secure his first win of 2022.
Eovaldi wound up yielding five hits, three runs all of them earned, one walk while striking out seven Yankee batters. The righty threw 76 pitches, 56 of them for strikes.
The Red Sox were able to jump out to fast 3-0 start off the two-run home run from Rafael Devers and the RBI double by J.D. Martinez. However, the Yankees would get two of those runs back off a 394 foot home run off the bat of left-hander Anthony Rizzo.
Eovaldi also got bit by the home run ball in the bottom of the fourth inning. Giancarlo Stanton hit a laser beam into the first couple of rows in the right field seats. Stanton’s quick blast would tie the game 3-3 but Eovaldi would settle down through the remainder of his start.
Stanton’s first homer would have only been a home run at Yankee Stadium and no other ballpark in the majors according to Twitter user @would_it_dong. Stanton would also strikeout three times in the game.
Eovaldi was initially in line for the win after lasting five innings. Manager Alex Cora turned to righty Garrett Whitlock in the sixth inning. Whitlock was efficient going 2 1/3 innings giving up two hits and one earned run. The earned run came off the bat of DJ LeMahieu who crushed a solo-homer into the right field seats that tied the game in the eighth inning.
Boston wound up losing in the bottom of the 11th inning after Josh Donaldson delivered a walk off hit.
The loss in the Bronx was Alex Cora’s fourth straight Opening Day loss as a Red Sox manager. Boston will resume the series on Saturday when Nick Pivetta gets the ball for his first start of the season.
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