Rafael Devers’ continued success against Gerrit Cole helps Red Sox beat Yankees

Nearly a year ago, Rafael Devers left Gerrit Cole searching for solutions.

“I’m open to suggestions,” the Yankees ace said when asked how he planned to get Devers out moving forward. Devers had just taken Cole deep twice in a Yankees win at Fenway Park on July 7, adding to the Boston third baseman’s success against the pitcher.

That success continued on Friday night in the Bronx, as Devers helped the basement-dwelling Red Sox score their first two runs in a 3-2 win over the Yankees.

Gerrit Cole gives up just two earned runs over six innings but Yankees fall to the Red Sox, 3-2. (Frank Franklin II/AP)

Boston got on the board first when Triston Casas singled off Cole in the fourth inning. That hit drove in Devers, who doubled off Cole earlier in the frame. Devers then homered off Cole in the sixth inning.

Cole threw the left-handed hitter a 90.2 mph changeup just below the zone, but that didn’t stop Devers from going the other way for a solo shot.

Devers has now crushed seven career homers off Cole. No batter has hit more off the right-hander.

While Devers continued to thrive, Cole only allowed those two runs over six innings. He also totaled seven hits, one walk, six strikeouts and 101 pitches. He now has a 2.84 ERA this season.

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Enrique Hernandez added his own solo homer off Albert Abreu in the seventh.

Garrett Whitlock, meanwhile, pitched better than his 5.61 ERA. The former Yankees prospect, snatched away by the Red Sox in the 2020 Rule 5 Draft, held the Bombers to two runs (one earned) over 6.1 innings. Whitlock tallied seven hits, one walk and six strikeouts over 88 pitches.

The one earned run came off the bat of Josh Donaldson, as he homered in the sixth. Donaldson has hit four home runs since coming off the injured list on June 2.

The Yankees scored their other run in the seventh when Isiah Kiner-Falefa picked up an infield single, stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error and dashed home on a wild pitch.

With the Yankees’ first game of the season against the Red Sox wrapped up, the team will turn it’s attention to Tanner Houck, Boston’s Saturday starter. Domingo German, meanwhile, will take the ball for the Yankees in the series’ second game.

German has been the Yankees’ second-best starter this season, recording a 3.69 ERA over 11 outings and 61 innings. He most recently limited the Dodgers to one run over 6.2 innings in Los Angeles on June 4.

Sunday’s series finale features a matchup between two young right-handers, as Clarke Schmidt lines up with Boston’s Bryan Bello.