NEW YORK -- Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s two-run home run in the second inning on Sunday night at Yankee Stadium gave the New York Yankees their first lead against the Boston Red Sox since Thursday's series opener. It was also a personal milestone, the 100th of his career in his sixth major-league season.
But Chisholm's mind was on his best friend who died on Saturday as he trotted the bases, crossed home plate and held back tears in the Yankees' dugout.
"It felt kind of surreal," Chisholm said after the Yankees' 7-2 win. "I lost my best friend yesterday so today felt like a different type of day especially with the 100th home run coming today and everything."
Chisholm declined to share details other than he's been going through a lot over the last "30 hours or so."
Cameras caught an emotional Chisholm hugging Aaron Judge and burying his head in the slugger's chest after hitting his 100th career home run off Red Sox right-hander Dustin May.
The second baseman added a second home run in the eighth inning, giving him 24 homers on the season to tie the career high he set in 2024. Trent Grisham also clubbed two home runs, giving him a career-high 25 for the season, as the Yankees avoided a four-game series sweep and snapped their eight-game losing streak against their rivals. Chisholm and Grisham are two of the five Yankees with at least 20 home runs this season, a number that leads the majors.
"I always want to play Boston," Chisholm said. "I feel like the energy in the game, the way our fans come out, the way their fans come out, I feel like it's a real intense game. Every game against Boston here has felt like a playoff game. So, for me, I know that's exactly what we're going to have and we're going to need to get ready for the playoffs and I know a lot of guys in here feel that too."
New York will open a three-game series against the Washington Nationals on Monday a half-game behind the Red Sox for the first Wild Card spot and six games behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East. The Yankees and Red Sox will meet for their final regular season series in Boston, a three-game set that begins on Sept. 12 and could have significant playoff ramifications. The Yankees are 2-8 against Boston this season.
"Definitely not the weekend we wanted to have, especially coming off a really good road trip," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "But a good win nonetheless."
