Nine-run inning propels New York Yankees past Boston Red Sox

NEW YORK -- Over the last 10 games, the New York Yankees have produced 90 runs.

Presented with the number, left fielder Chris Young gave his most blunt response to the question.

"Honestly, the blunt way to say it is we have a lot of good hitters," Young said. "From top to bottom, everybody's a threat right now."

The entire Yankees lineup was a threat in the bottom of the seventh inning Tuesday when catcher Brian McCann and Young highlighted a nine-run outburst with three-run home runs in a 13-3 rout of the Boston Red Sox.

McCann drove in four runs, hitting his 18th home run with one out in the seventh off Craig Breslow after the inside of his right knee stretched while blocking several pitches by Dellin Betances in the dirt. He also had the tiebreaking double in the sixth off Robbie Ross Jr.

Young atoned for letting a ball drop between him and center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury in the second by blasting the first pitch he saw from Alexi Ogando to conclude New York's first nine-run inning in the seventh inning or later since April 28, 2009 at Detroit.

McCann and Young's home runs gave the Yankees 21 in the last 10 games. The Yankees have homered in each of those games and their current stretch of seven wins in 10 games has featured a 21-run game last Tuesday in Texas along with 25 runs in wins over the Chicago White Sox.

"It's a lot of fun, guys are having good team at-bats," third baseman Chase Headley said. "I thought we have the potential to be a really good offense and I thought we'd be better than we've been in the first half of the season. Obviously this has been a special streak."

Besides the home runs, the Yankees also scored in the seventh on an RBI single by Rodriguez, which scored Ellsbury after he reached on a throwing error by shortstop Xander Bogaerts. After McCann's home run, the Yankees scored twice on an RBI double by Headley and a run-scoring single by Ellsbury.

"That's just crazy," Young said of the 90 runs in the last 10 games. You can expect that throughout the year but it shows the potential that you have at any given moment. You'd love to but it's not realistic but it shows the potential if everybody's clicking at the right time."

Earlier, first baseman Mark Teixeira had a pair of RBI singles, and right fielder Carlos Beltran hit a run-scoring groundout in the three-run sixth.

New York right-hander Masahiro Tanaka (8-4) won for the fourth time in five starts, allowing three runs and five hits in six-plus innings. Tanaka was lifted after Boston third baseman Pablo Sandoval opened the seventh with his ninth home run.

Justin Wilson recorded the first two outs of the seventh and Betances struck out second baseman Brock Holt with two on for the final out when it was still a one-run game.

"I was just trying to prolong that inning so we could score nine runs," Betances said.

Before New York put together its big inning, it did little off Boston rookie left-hander Henry Owens (0-1). In his major league debut, Owens allowed three runs and five hits in five-plus innings. However, before allowing consecutive doubles to Young and Rodriguez in the sixth, he retired the previous 12 hitters and 15 of the previous 16 after a lengthy opening inning.

"I was anxious to be out here and excited, pleased with the opportunity and tried to seize it the best I could," Owens said. "I ran into a couple of tough innings but hopefully there's more to come."

While Owens turned in a respectable outing, Boston's bullpen continued to struggle as it has allowed 24 earned runs and 40 hits in 31 1/3 innings over the last eight games and Tuesday was the second time this season Red Sox relievers allowed at least 10 runs.

"Once he came out of the game, they had their way with our bullpen," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "I tried to find guys that at least (could) stem the tide but the way they're swinging the bat, the runs that they're scoring of late, it was not a good matchup against our bullpen tonight."

Catcher Blake Swihart had an RBI single and center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. lifted a sacrifice fly in the fifth for Boston, which scored 54 runs in its previous eight games.

NOTES: New York INF/OF Dustin Ackley was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a right lumbar strain in his back. Ackley had an MRI exam Monday, and the test showed a herniated disk that will keep him out for at least 20 days. ... Boston 2B Dustin Pedroia (right hamstring strain) could start baseball activities this weekend in Detroit. ... Red Sox CF Mookie Betts (concussion) increased his physical activity Monday and did not feel any symptoms. ... New York recalled RHP Caleb Cotham from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Asked to explain removing LHP Justin Wilson on a 1-2 count in the seventh, New York manager Joe Girardi explained it by using the word "strategy" three times.