Yankees Win WIld Card

Thanks to a dominant start from Cam Schlittler, the Yankees overcame a 1-0 series deficit to win the AL Wild Card series on Thursday night.

Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

October 2, 2025

Yankees 4, Red Sox 0

The New York Yankees made history Thursday night in their 4-0 win over the Boston Red Sox, becoming the first team to win a Wild Card series after losing the first game under the new postseason format. Before tonight, teams were 0-15 in such scenarios.

Yankees-Red Sox Game Summary

Yankees Post Crooked Number

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The bottom of the fourth inning began scoreless, but by the end, the Yankees put themselves in full control. Amed Rosario began the scoring for New York with an RBI single that scored Cody Bellinger. Two batters later, Anthony Volpe singled into right field, scoring Giancarlo Stanton and giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead. Then, with the bases loaded, Austin Wells lined a sharp ground ball to Red Sox first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who couldn’t handle it. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Rosario both scored, putting the Yankees in front 4-0.

Schlittler Caps Off Scoreless Outing

Staring down pitch number 107, Cam Schlittler got Trevor Story to ground out on a 98 MPH sinker. This ended the top of the eighth inning, as well as Schlittler’s night. Across eight scoreless innings, Schlitter recorded 12 strikeouts, becoming the first rookie to strike out 10 or more batters in a postseason game since 1997. His 12 punchouts were also the fourth most by a rookie in a postseason game.

Bednar Shuts the Door

For the second straight night, Yankee reliever David Bednar took care of business in the ninth inning. After walking Alex Bregman, Bednar recorded three straight outs to clinch a 4-0 victory for New York.

What Went Right for the Yankees

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If you didn’t know who Cam Schlittler was before tonight, you do now. Despite starting in a do-or-die Game Three, Schlittler had a performance for the ages. In his first career postseason start, Schlittler became the first postseason pitcher to throw eight or more scoreless innings and record 12 or more strikeouts with no walks.

What Went Wrong for the Yankees

The Yankees didn’t score in eight of nine innings tonight, doing all their damage in the fourth inning. There were plenty of opportunities for them to pad their lead, but none came to fruition.

Manager Reactions

After battling back from a 1-0 series deficit, Yankee manager Aaron Boone expressed the utmost confidence in his group. “I knew we wouldn’t flinch after game one,” said Boone. “The guys came out…and it’s a lot of fun to win this game.”

With Cam Schlittler dominating, Red Sox manager Alex Cora acknowledged that Boston had no other choice but to be flawless Thursday night. “We needed to be perfect tonight, because he was perfect,” said Cora.

Next Matchup

The Yankees will have Friday off before heading north on Saturday to face off against the Toronto Blue Jays. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:08 P.M. as both sides will look to take a 1-0 advantage in the ALDS. Neither team has announced its starter for Saturday’s game.