The Boston Red Sox are one win away from the American League Division Series after toppling the rival New York Yankees 3-1 in Game 1 of their best-of-three Wild Card Series on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Left-hander Garrett Crochet stole the spotlight in his first career postseason start, striking out 11 across 7 â innings. He allowed just four hits and one runâa second-inning solo shot by Anthony Volpeâwhile throwing a career-high 117 pitches. Crochet finished his outing with a 100.2 mph fastball that froze Austin Wells for a called strike three.
For most of the night, Yankees starter Max Fried kept Boston in check, delivering 6 â scoreless innings before leaving to a standing ovation. But the Red Sox finally broke through in the seventh against reliever Luke Weaver. Ceddanne Rafaela worked an 11-pitch walk, Nick Sogard followed with a double, and pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida delivered a two-run single up the middle to put Boston ahead for good.
Alex Bregman added insurance in the ninth with an RBI double in his 100th career postseason game. Still, the Yankees made it interesting, loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the ninth. Closer Aroldis Chapman steadied himself, striking out Giancarlo Stanton, retiring Jazz Chisholm Jr. on a fly out, and fanning Trent Grisham to end it.
With the victory, Boston holds a 1-0 series lead. History favors the Red Sox: teams that win Game 1 of a Wild Card series have advanced 18 of 20 times. One more win at Yankee Stadium will punch their ticket to face the top-seeded Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS.
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