NUEVA YORK — The New York Yankees opened their Wild Card Series rematch on Tuesday night with a dominant 9-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, powered by a late grand slam from Ben Rice and another stellar postseason pitching performance by Cam Schlittler.
Operating without star hitter Aaron Judge due to a calf injury, the Yankees leaned heavily on their depth. Rice went 4-for-4 with two home runs, a double, and six RBIs, tormenting the team of his childhood. Rookie George Lombard Jr., making his postseason debut at age 21, added three hits, while Austin Wells drove in two runs from the bottom of the order.
The win gives New York a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series. A victory in the second game on Wednesday night would send the Yankees to the American League Division Series to face the Tampa Bay, champion of the American League East Division.
Schlittler Sets Tone on the Mound
Cam Schlittler delivered 6 1/3 innings of two-hit ball, striking out 10 batters and walking just one. The pitcher, who led the American League with a 1.95 ERA and stands as a favorite for the Cy Young award, threw 117 pitches before departing to a standing ovation from the 48,437 fans in attendance.
Schlittler’s pitch count marked the highest for a Yankees postseason starter since CC Sabathia threw 121 pitches in the 2012 ALDS against Baltimore. The 25-year-old retired 13 batters before issuing a walk in the fifth inning, drawing loud “MVP!” chants from the Bronx crowd.
Childhood Roots and Local Ties
The victory carried added narrative weight for both Rice and Schlittler, who grew up as Red Sox fans in Massachusetts and played college baseball in New England before the Yankees drafted them out of Boston’s backyard.
Rice’s night was capped by his late grand slam, cementing a four-hit performance that broke open a tight game.
Game Two Pitching Matchup
The series continues Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium, where Boston right-hander Sonny Gray is scheduled to make his seventh career postseason appearance. Gray, who tied for the major league lead in wins this season with an 18-5 record and a 2.72 ERA, returns to the Bronx after a turbulent tenure with the Yankees from 2017 to 2018.
Reflecting on his time in New York, Gray struck a diplomatic tone ahead of the matchup. “Sé que jugar aquí me hizo una persona más fuerte, me convirtió en un mejor hombre y en un mejor esposo. En última instancia, me hizo mejor lanzador,” Gray said of his growth through the experience, noting he learned a great deal from the challenge.
Max Fried will take the mound for the Yankees in Game Two. The left-hander limited his workload to 20 starts this year due to two stints on the injured list with a left elbow contusion, but carries a 5-5 record and a 2.80 ERA into the contest.
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