The Red Sox needed rookie starter Eduardo Rodriguez to stay hot Saturday night in order for his team to stay hot. And he did just that.
Rodriguez gave the surging Sox what they needed against their archrival Yankees by allowing just two runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings with one walk and two strikeouts. He has now won five of seven decisions.
Only the long ball hurt Rodriguez. He surrendered a first-inning blast to Alex Rodriguez and sixth-inning dinger to Jacoby Ellsbury.
Rodriguez has yielded just five earned runs in his last 17 1/3 innings.