Yankees 9, Red Sox 0
Growing up in Massachusetts, all Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice knew was Boston Red Sox baseball. However, the pair dominated their childhood team Tuesday night, guiding the New York Yankees to a 9–0 victory in Game One of the American League Wild Card series.
Yankees — Red Sox Game Summary
The Yankees broke the game open in the second inning, as Austin Wells delivered a two-out RBI single into right field. Three innings later, Rice launched a 423-foot solo home run into Monument Park, doubling the Yankees’ lead.
In the seventh inning, Rice came up to bat again, this time with the bases loaded. He laced an RBI single into right, putting the Yankees up 3–0. Luis Garcia Jr. then pinch-hit for Heliot Ramos, grounding into a double-play but scoring Wells from third base for an insurance run.
In the eighth, the Yankee catcher struck again with a sacrifice fly into right. However, it wouldn’t be the end of the Yankees’ night on offense. Two batters later, Rice demolished a 408-foot grand slam into right-center field, giving the Yankees a 9–0 lead.
What Went Right for the Yankees
Schlittler continued his dominance against the Red Sox, throwing 6 1/3 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts on a career-high 117 pitches. His career ERA against the Red Sox sits at 0.47, the lowest mark for a Yankee through their first six career starts against the team.
Likewise, Rice found more success against the Yankees’ biggest rival. With six RBI, Rice tied the franchise record for RBI in a postseason game since the stats’ official recognition in 1920. The 27-year-old now has driven in eight in three postseason games against the Red Sox.
Outside of Rice, the rest of the Yankees’ young core also made an offensive impact. Austin Wells and George Lombard Jr. collected five total hits, while Spencer Jones reached base twice in his first career postseason game.
What Went Wrong for the Yankees
Against left-hander Payton Tolle, expectations were that Ramos, Paul Goldschmidt, and Amed Rosario would lead the charge on offense. Unfortunately, the right-handed hitting trio went hitless, although it didn’t matter in the end.
What Went Right for the Red Sox
Despite the final score, Tolle had a relatively productive outing. Across 4 2/3 innings, the 23-year-old allowed one run on five hits. He also struck out four batters and walked one. However, due to the team’s lack of offense, Tolle was charged with the loss.
What Went Wrong For Red Sox
The Red Sox scored the fewest runs in baseball in September, and that didn’t change on Tuesday. The team managed three hits all night, with one being an extra-base hit courtesy of Trevor Story. The bullpen also struggled mightily, allowing all but one of the nine runs given up.
Manager Reactions
Despite a dominant performance in Game One, Yankees manager Aaron Boone knows the series is far from over.
“We’ll have a chance to close it out, but it’s one win,” said Boone postgame. “We’ve got the blinders on, but it’s a confident group knowing if we can play our game, we can beat anyone.”
With his team in a considerable hole, Red Sox manager Chad Tracy knows what has to happen going forward.
“You’ve got to win two games in a row to keep the season alive,” said Tracy.
Next Matchup
The Yankees and Red Sox will meet on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern in Game Two. Max Fried will start for the Yankees, while ex-Yankee Sonny Gray will go for the Red Sox.
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