Red Sox run themselves into 1-0 loss at Yankee Stadium in series opener

NEW YORK (AP) — Ceddanne Rafaela and the Boston Red Sox ran themselves right into a 1-0 loss at Yankee Stadium.

In the opener of a critical four-game series, Rafaela committed a costly baserunning blunder in the fifth inning Friday night and then got thrown out at home plate to end the seventh.

Shut out for the second consecutive game and seventh time this season, Boston (73-61) dropped three games behind the Yankees (76-58) in the race for the top American League wild-card and home-field advantage throughout a potential best-of-three playoff series between the longtime rivals.

With the Red Sox trailing on Paul Goldschmidt's third-inning homer off starter Patrick Sandoval, they put two on against New York ace Cam Schlittler with one out in the fifth. Wilyer Abreu lined out to center field, and Rafaela got doubled off first as the trail runner to end the inning — with cleanup batter Willson Contreras on deck.

“That’s a bad read on me. That’s very bad," Rafaela said. "No excuses. That can’t happen.”

In the bottom half, cameras caught Rafaela shaking his head at himself in center field.

“I don’t know if it was an outs thing or if it was both guys when the ball kind of came off the bat, they started to extend, thinking it was going to drop," Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said. “He may have just extended too far, got close to the bag and then he flipped the ball in quick and he’s back-picked at first. So, tough one there, obviously.”

In a nip-and-tuck game with a playoff feel, Boston then put runners at second and third with one out in the seventh when Rafaela singled and Abreu doubled on the first two pitches from reliever Paul Blackburn.

Contreras lofted a fly to medium left field and Cody Bellinger cut down the speedy Rafaela at home plate with a 99.7 mph throw.

“Honestly, not surprised because we know he has a good arm," Rafaela said. “He throws with accuracy and that was being aggressive trying to tie the game right there and he made a perfect throw. I think that’s the only throw that can get me out right there.”

Rafaela said he went on his own, even though interim third base coach Chad Epperson was telling him to hold.

“That’s not him. That’s on me. Sometimes I make dumb decisions trying to be over-aggressive and those things happen,” Rafaela said.

Tracy, however, thought trying to score was the right play in that situation.

“We haven’t scored much lately, so you've got to take your shot," he said. "You get the ball in the air, which is what you need, and you have a really good baserunner in Rafa and speed at third. You’re going to take your shot and with him running, it’s got to be a perfect throw and he made a perfect throw right on the money.

“It’s like, how many opportunities are you going to get? And you've got to go there and force it,” Tracy added. “If you get it a little bit offline in one direction with Rafa running, you’re going to be safe.”

Schlittler was thrilled with the end result.

“It was a great throw on a great runner. That changed the whole game right there," he said.

Boston finished 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 overall in its first 1-0 loss to the Yankees since July 25, 2008. The 13-game season series is tied 5-all.

“Everything matters in these games,” New York manager Aaron Boone said.

Paired with a 4-0 defeat Wednesday at Miami, it's the first time the Red Sox have gone two games in a row without scoring since September 2023.

“These games are fun,” Bellinger said. "Atmosphere is incredible and I always like to impact the game some way. So I was glad I was able to make that throw.”

AP freelance writer Larry Fleisher contributed to this report.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

New York Yankees right fielder Spencer Jones, left fielder Cody Bellinger, and center fielder Trent Grisham, right to left, celebrate with teammates after winning a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Boston Red Sox pitcher Patrick Sandoval heads to the dugout while being pulled by Boston Red Sox manager Chad Tracy during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Boston Red Sox' Ceddanne Rafaela is tagged out by New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells at home plate on a double play during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Boston Red Sox' Ceddanne Rafaela is tagged out by New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells at home plate on a double play during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Seattle's Jason Myers missed a 52-yard field goal as time expired, and the Seahawks played to a 9-9 tie with the Kansas City Chiefs Friday night in a preseason matchup of rookie third-string quarterbacks.

The Chiefs (0-2-1) had their third straight winless preseason, scoring just one touchdown in exhibition play.

Seattle's Jalen Milroe was 16 of 26 for 223 yards and a touchdown, while the Chiefs' Garrett Nussmeier was 22 of 34 for 198 yards with an interception.

The Seahawks backed off the gas after reaching Kansas City territory inside the two-minute warning.

“Going for the touchdown wasn’t part of the calculus,” Seattle coach Mike Macdonald said. “We downshifted into like 4-minute mode. We've got to figure out a way to keep the ball moving forward there. But we trust (Myers). We've got to give him a better (chance to get a) kick off.”

Neither team played its starting quarterback in the preseason. Sam Darnold was a healthy scratch in each game for Super Bowl champion Seattle, while Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes is recovering from surgery on his left knee last December.

The top running backs also saw little action. Kenneth Walker III, the Chiefs' projected starter who was the Super Bowl MVP last season for the Seahawks, gained 4 yards on 2 preseason carries. Seattle's top two running backs, Zach Charbonnet and rookie Jadarian Price, missed the preseason with injuries.

Macdonald was pleased with his team's effort.

“Would have been great to close it out with a win, but I just told our team that the body of work that they’ve been able to put together up to this point ... I just tip my cap to to our guys, our team, our coaches, our staff,” he said. “You know, if you trust the work that I’ve seen our team put in, and the practices that we’ve stacked together, and the offseason that they’ve done. ... I think we’re in a great place going into the season.”

Now the regular season is at hand. Chiefs linebacker R. Mason Thomas, who had a strip sack and fumble recovery, was looking ahead to Kansas City's opener on “Monday Night Football.”

“It's going to be packed out, at night in the loudest stadium in the in the whole NFL,” he said. “I’m excited.”

Even though it was the preseason, Thomas was pleased that Myers missed. “I thought we were going to overtime,” he said, “but it was nice to get a tie.”

The Seahawks (0-2-1) took the lead on a 46-yard field goal by Myers midway through the first quarter.

The Chiefs answered with a 28-yard field goal by Harrison Butker. Kansas City started in Seattle territory after a 57-yard kickoff return by Brashard Smith, but the drive stalled on a holding penalty in the Seattle red zone.

The Chiefs had a first-and-goal on their next drive but stalled again. They settled for Butker's 24-yard field goal and a 6-3 lead.

Butker missed a 58-yard try in the third quarter.

Seattle took the lead on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Milroe to Nick Vannett. Myers missed the extra point.

The Chiefs tied it on Butker's third chip-shot field goal, this one from 19 yards. Smith couldn't convert on three carries after the Chiefs had first-and-goal at the Seattle 4.

Chiefs CB Melvin Smith suffered a rib injury in the first quarter and did not return.

Seahawks: Open the season at home on Sept. 9 in a Super Bowl rematch against New England.

Chiefs: Host Denver on Monday, Sept. 14.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers (5) misses a field goal attempt as Seahawks holder Michael Dickson (4) holds his position during the second half of a preseason NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Chiefs safety Xavier Nwankpa, right, celebrates a missed field goal by Seattle Seahawks place kicker Jason Myers (5) as Seahawks tight end Nick Kallerup (89) looks on during the second half of a preseason NFL football game, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Cyrus Allen warms up prior to a preseason NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe throws against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of a preseason NFL football game, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (14) throws against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half of a preseason NFL football game, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)