Yankees 4, Red Sox 3
One night after faltering late, the New York Yankees rode a terrific bullpen performance to beat the Boston Red Sox 4-3 on Wednesday night to tie the American League Wild Card series at 1-1.
Yankees – Red Sox Game Summary
Both Sides Land Punches
With the game still scoreless in the first inning, Yankee first baseman Ben Rice put the baseball world on notice in his very first postseason at-bat. After a single from outfielder Cody Bellinger, Rice swung at the first pitch he saw and took Red Sox starter Brayan Bello’s cutter into the seats for a 2-0 Yankees lead. This marked the second time in two games that the Yankees scored first off a home run. It also made Ben Rice the first Yankee since Shane Spencer in 1998 to homer in his first postseason at-bat.
Unfortunately for New York, its lead would end up being short-lived. After Boston loaded the bases, shortstop Trevor Story lined a two-RBI single off Yankee starter Carlos Rodon into left-center field to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the third. In the bottom half of the inning, Brayan Bello was pulled with one out. His postseason start was the shortest by a Red Sox pitcher since Chris Sale in 2021.
Judge, Story Add Offense
Thanks to a walk and a wild pitch, outfielder Trent Grisham found himself at second base with Aaron Judge up to bat in the fifth inning. But despite a diving effort from Jarren Duran, Judge’s single dropped in and scored Grisham to put the Yankees up 3-2.
The following inning, Trevor Story responded with a run of his own. Already with two RBI on the night, Story took Rodon’s four-seamer over the left field wall to tie the game at 3-3. This represented Story’s fourth hit in eight at-bats in the series.
Yankees’ Bullpen, Bats Finish Job
In the seventh inning, reliever Fernando Cruz allowed one hit in a scoreless frame. The following inning, Devin Williams did the same to keep the game tied at 3-3.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. successfully drew a two-out walk. The next batter, catcher Austin Wells, lined a base hit down the first base side. This scored Chisholm from first and gave New York a 4-3 advantage.
Even though he struggled in game one, Yankee reliever David Bednar was lights out in the ninth inning of game two. After back-to-back strikeouts to begin the ninth inning, Bednar got Ceddanne Rafaela to fly out to right field, ending the game.
What Went Right for the Yankees
After a poor showing in Game One, the Yankee bullpen delivered a near-flawless performance on Wednesday night. Cruz, Williams, and Bednar each pitched one shutout inning, totaling three strikeouts and no walks.
What Went Wrong for the Yankees
Despite scoring four runs, the Yankees went just 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position while stranding nine players on base. They won, but they left a lot of runs out there.
Manager Reactions
When asked about what helped the Yankees win, Yankee manager Aaron Boone pointed somewhere other than the bullpen. “I thought our defense tonight was really, really good,” said Boone.
For Red Sox manager Alex Cora, Wednesday night was simply a game that didn’t go Boston’s way. “It’s one of those…we’re trying to win the game, and it didn’t happen,” said Cora.
Looking Ahead
The Yankees and Red Sox will face off in the Bronx tomorrow for the third and final game of the series at 8:08 P.M. For New York, rookie Cam Schlittler will take the mound for his first career postseason start. For Boston, fellow rookie Connelly Early will get the nod as the Red Sox look to rebound.
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