Cam Schlittler struck out 10 batters and Ben Rice hit a late grand slam as the New York Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox 9-0 on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium.
The postseason opener turned into a showcase for two Massachusetts-raised players who grew up rooting for Boston before joining the New York Yankees. Schlittler, a 25-year-old right-hander who led the American League with a 1.95 ERA this season, delivered 6 1/3 dominant innings without allowing a single runner to reach second base. He surrendered only two singles and one walk while throwing 117 pitches before walking off to a standing ovation from a sellout crowd of 48,437 in the Bronx.
Ben Rice Drives a Late Grand Slam to Seal the Opening Shutout
Rice, who grew up outside Boston wearing Yankees gear to first-grade picture day, supplied the offense with two home runs, a double, and six RBIs. He opened the scoring with a 423-foot solo shot into Monument Park off left-handed reliever Erik Miller in the fifth inning. Later in the eighth, Rice launched a grand slam to right-center field to cap a five-run frame.
“I’ll remember getting a W versus the Red Sox. There’s nothing better than that. I’ll remember Cam going out there and just being lights out, like he always is. I’ll remember the atmosphere. It was just an awesome night. Great way to kick off the series.”
Ben Rice, Yankees first baseman/outfielder, via CBS Sports
The grand slam marked the 16th in Yankees postseason history, tying a franchise record for RBIs in a single postseason game accomplished by four previous players. Austin Wells drove in two runs, and 21-year-old rookie George Lombard Jr. added three hits in his postseason debut as New York outhit Boston 12-3. The victory marked the fifth postseason shutout for the Yankees since 2002.
Payton Tolle Opens for Boston as Red Sox Turn to Game 2
Boston rookie left-hander Payton Tolle made his postseason debut on the mound, holding the Yankees scoreless through the early frames before exiting in the fifth inning after 83 pitches. Red Sox manager Chad Tracy, who took over in late April after Alex Cora was dismissed when the team sat at 10-17, guided Boston through a major league-best 55-29 run that salvaged an 87-75 regular-season finish and third place in the AL East.
New York finished second in the division with a 93-68 record, earning home-field advantage for the best-of-three series played entirely at Yankee Stadium. Historical trends favor the Yankees heading into Wednesday night’s Game 2: Game 1 winners have advanced 15 times in the 16 best-of-three Wild Card Series since the format debuted in 2022, with the lone exception being the Red Sox last season.
Pitching Matchups and Injury Updates for Game 2
The Red Sox will send right-hander Sonny Gray, who went 18-5 with a 2.72 ERA this season, to the mound for Wednesday’s matchup against his former team. New York counters with left-hander Max Fried, who posted a 5-5 record and a 2.80 ERA.
Both teams continue to monitor injuries to key personnel. Yankees slugger Aaron Judge missed the opener due to a calf strain but took live batting practice Monday alongside Giancarlo Stanton, who is recovering from dual calf strains, and Trent Grisham, who is nursing a right hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Red Sox manager Chad Tracy reported that minor league infielder Gonzalez remains very much in play
for the American League Division Series roster if Boston can overcome Wednesday’s deficit and advance past their longtime rivals.
