Hiroki Kuroda pitched eight innings of one-run ball and Ichiro Suzuki homered twice as the Yankees topped the Red Sox 4-1 on Sunday night.
The Bombers claimed two out of three games in the series at Yankee Stadium to maintain their hold on the AL’s best record.
It was the first time in four career starts that Kuroda managed to beat Boston. He had been 0-0 with a 5.27 ERA in two starts against them this year, and he took a loss in his lone start versus the Red Sox while with the Dodgers.
Ichiro delivered a pair of solo shots in his seventh career two-homer game. He also had one back on June 2 for the Mariners. He’s hit .322 with three homers and 13 RBI in 26 games since joining the Yankees.
Josh Beckett took the loss for Boston after giving up four runs in six innings. He’s allowed 10 runs in 11 innings against the Yankees this season, and he’s 5-11 with a 5.23 ERA overall. He’s surrendered seven homers in 16 1/3 innings during the month of August after going the entire months of June and July (47 2/3 innings total) without ever allowing one.