Though the Red Sox are now officially out of playoff contention, the race to .500 continued last night at Yankee Stadium. Boston won its 4th straight game, and Red Sox pitchers have now given up only 1 run over the last 4 games. That single run came against Eduardo Rodriguez last night, who responded to that early trouble by settling down nicely and scattering four hits and a walk over the next five innings.

The Sox offensive effort started promisingly in the first inning, as Mookie Betts hit a ground rule double and advanced to third with one out. But he was thrown out on a ground ball to third that forced him home, and Yankees starter Ivan Nova got out of the jam.

The Yankees did Boston one better in the bottom half of the first. Jacoby Ellsbury hit a ground rule double to start things off just like his centerfielder/leadoff hitter counterpart, and he too got to third, on a sacrifice by Brett Gardner. The difference came when Alex Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly to get Ellsbury home, and New York went up 1-0.

Eduardo Rodriguez got into another jam in the bottom of the 2nd. A walk and Dustin Pedroia’s 6th error of the year loaded the bases with 2 outs, but Eduardo managed to get out of the inning with a clutch full count strikeout of A-Rod with a fastball up and in.

Ivan Nova had kind of a bizarre inning in the top of the 3rd. He struck out Devin Marrero on three pitches. He walked Jackie Bradley, Jr. on five pitches (four balls after Bradley looked at a strike to start things off). He struck Betts out on three pitches. He walked Pedroia on four pitches. And finally, he struck Xander Bogaerts out on three pitches. That opening strike to Bradley was the only pitch out of place.

Eduardo Rodriguez gave up a single in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings, but stranded each of the runners. And after five innings of frustrated futility, the Boston offense finally came to Rodriguez’s aid. With two outs, Bogaerts doubled under Chase Headley’s glove down the left field line, and Travis Shaw took Ivan Nova deep to right on the very next pitch to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead.

The first batter Eduardo faced with his newfound lead was Yankees catcher John Ryan Murphy, who hit a line drive shot over Jackie Bradley’s head…except for the fact that Bradley caught it. Murphy actually stood at second taking off his shin guard because he thought he had a double.

The catch helped Rodriguez to record his first 1-2-3 inning of the game in what was probably his last appearance of 2015. He was making an appeal for one more inning as he came into the dugout, but he fell down the stairs. I’m not kidding.

Wade Miley was particularly amused by the whole thing. I love that guy.

Bradley gave Rodriguez a little more cushion in the top of the 7th, homering on a line drive to left field and driving in Blake Swihart, who’d singled, in the process. 4-1, Red Sox.

With two outs in the top of the 9th, Devin Marrero hit his first major league home run to give Boston another insurance run. It was an opposite field job, and Robbie Ross, Jr. definitely appreciated the extra cushion. It’s pretty cool that the ball got tossed back so that Marrero could have it.

Not that he actually needed the extra runs, but Ross did have to deal with runners at 2nd and 3rd with 1 out. It’s nearly always an adventure with Robbie, but he got out of the jam without any damage. 5-1, final.

Not only are the Sox inching towards .500, but the team’s run differential is nearly positive. I can’t remember the last time that was the case. Small victories.