Gerrit Cole’s decision to intentionally walk Rafael Devers of the Boston Red Sox with no runners on base during his no-hit bid backfired on Saturday, leading to a three-run fourth inning and an early exit for the New York Yankees’ star pitcher. Cole struggled, allowing seven runs, hitting a career-high three batters, and only lasting 4 1/3 innings before being pulled with the Red Sox leading 7-1.
Devers, who has had success against Cole in the past, capitalized on the intentional walk by hitting a crucial two-run single in the fifth inning. This move surprised many, as Devers had previously been 14 for 41 with eight home runs against Cole, including postseason matchups.
Initially, Cole had a strong start, retiring eight of the first nine batters he faced. However, things quickly turned around after the intentional walk to Devers in the fourth inning. The Red Sox took advantage of the situation, with nine of the next 11 batters reaching base against Cole, the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner.
The game saw other significant moments, such as Trevor Story and Masataka Yoshida contributing to Boston’s offensive efforts, and the Yankees making a rare bases-empty intentional walk earlier than ever before in the team’s history.
In the end, the Red Sox emerged victorious with a convincing 7-1 win over the Yankees, with Devers being a key player in their offensive successes. Cole’s performance left much to be desired, turning what started as a promising no-hit bid into a disappointing outing for the Yankees ace.
