BOSTON — Joe Kelly walked to the back of the pitcher’s mound to give the Fenway crowd a chance to cheer for Derek Jeter.
Then he wanted to get him out.
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Kelly struck Jeter out in his first at-bat Saturday, then gave up an infield chopper to the retiring New York Yankees captain in the third inning. By that time, the Red Sox had a nine-run lead and they coasted to a 10-4 victory over their AL East rivals.
“I tried to … let him have his time. He deserves it,” said Kelly (4-2), who allowed four runs and nine hits in 71/3 innings. “It’s awesome to see him get a standing O and people cheering for him. After that, it’s baseball.”
Jeter went 1 for 2 as the designated hitter before he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the fifth inning – according to plan, Yankees Manager Joe Girardi said. Jeter is expected to be in the lineup as designated hitter again Sunday for the last game of his major league career.
“I’ll text him in the morning and see what he wants to do,” Girardi said.
After sitting out Friday’s series opener following his emotional Yankee Stadium finale, Jeter returned to his usual second spot in the lineup but as the DH, not the shortstop. He received standing ovations before each at-bat as fans chanted “De-rek Je-ter! De-rek Je-ter!”
He struck out on three pitches in the first.
Red Sox Manager John Farrell said he didn’t need talk to the team about staying focused amid the Jeter hoopla.
“I think if you looked at the way Joe Kelly approached things, he’s not caught up in the moment. I don’t think any of our guys are,” Farrell said. “We recognize a great career that’s coming to a close. But our guys are professional, and they’re going out to compete and win.”
Jeter hit a high bouncer over Kelly’s head in the third. Third baseman Garin Cecchini raced across to catch the ball but couldn’t make a throw as Jeter was credited with a single. When Jeter’s turn came in the fifth, Francisco Cervelli pinch hit and grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Jeter is expected to start as the DH again Sunday after a pregame ceremony in his honor. It would be his 153rd game at Fenway Park, breaking a tie with Lou Gehrig and Mickey Mantle for most among Yankees.
Masahiro Tanaka (13-5) allowed seven runs – five earned – in 12/3 innings, the shortest of his 20 starts with the Yankees.
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