In a game that was delayed for seven minutes due to a swarm of bees in left field, the Yankees routed the Red Sox on Tuesday, winning 8-1.
The Yankees were up 5-0 as Felix Doubront prepared to take the mound for the third inning, but Sox left fielder Mike Carp summoned the umpires to deal with a “couple thousand” bees that invaded from the left field bullpen.
“Not a big fan of bees flying around my head” said Carp after the game.
The George M. Steinbrenner Field groundskeepers sprayed the area with chemicals and chased the bees away quickly.
All the better for the Red Sox, who probably couldn’t wait for the game to end.
The Yankees tagged starter Felix Doubront early and often, amassing seven runs and 10 hits altogether off the lefty. Doubront was pulled after just 3.2 innings of work.
Manager John Farrell was quick to deflect any concern about Doubront’s readiness for the start of the season. “Quite possibly, we’re into that part of camp where he’s battling through a little bit of a dead arm which is completely normal and expected but we got him up to 80 pitches which is in line for the progression we’re trying to get him to.”
Doubront also dismissed his performance, chalking it up to a bad day at the office.
“Bad feeling,” Doubront said afterward. “I didn’t feel the grip, changeup was bad, left the pitches over the plate. One of those days.”
He continued: “Nothing I can do but throw my bullpen and pitch in the next five days.”
The Red Sox also had no answers for Yankees starter Michael Pineda.
The former Seattle Mariners prospect who’s been recovering from shoulder surgery had a positive outing, going 4.1 innings while surrendering just four hits and no runs.
The Red Sox take the diamond again on Wednesday evening against the Pirates.
