The Red Sox walked into Yankee Stadium with a chance to put New York on its heels. Instead, they were the ones pinned back by the end of the night.
The Yankees blasted Boston 9-0 on Tuesday in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series, taking control of the best-of-three matchup behind a dominant start from Cam Schlittler and a huge night from Ben Rice. Schlittler punched out 10 over 6 1/3 scoreless innings, while Rice went 4-for-5 with two home runs and six RBIs.
Boston managed just three hits and one walk, never stringing together the kind of pressure it needed against Schlittler or the Yankees’ bullpen. Payton Tolle gave the Red Sox a chance to hang around, but New York pulled away late, scoring seven runs across its final two trips to the plate.
That leaves Boston needing a win Wednesday to keep the season going and force a decisive Game 3 on Thursday.
The Red Sox’s best early chance came and went quickly. Adley Rutschman singled with one out in the first inning, but Boston didn’t get another hit until Wilyer Abreu singled with one out in the seventh. In between, Schlittler was in complete command, striking out three in the first and allowing only a fifth-inning walk to Jarren Duran before Abreu finally broke through.
Even that brief opening didn’t last. Paul Blackburn took over for Schlittler, and Ceddanne Rafaela grounded into an inning-ending double play with Boston still down 2-0.
Trevor Story’s eighth-inning double was Boston’s only extra-base hit, but Caleb Durbin flied out to leave him stranded. The Red Sox finished 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position and left three on base.
Schlittler threw 117 pitches and gave up two hits and one walk. Blackburn and John Schreiber finished off the shutout, with Yankees pitchers combining for 11 strikeouts.
Tolle, meanwhile, kept the game within reach for a while. He allowed one run on five hits over 4 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking one. Austin Wells’ RBI single in the second inning was the only damage against him.
Rice changed the shape of the game in the fifth with a two-out solo homer off Erik Miller. Boston was still within striking distance at 2-0 entering the seventh, but the Yankees loaded the bases against Alec Gamboa, then Rice delivered again with an RBI single. A double play followed, and Wells scored to push the lead to 4-0.
The eighth inning put the game out of reach for good. Wells added a sacrifice fly against Brayan Bello, then Rice launched a two-out grand slam to center field.
Rice’s night was the headline performance: 4-for-5, a double, two homers and six RBIs. George Lombard Jr. also chipped in three hits and scored twice, and Wells finished with two hits and two RBIs.
For Boston, the path forward is simple and unforgiving. The offense has to show up Wednesday, because Game 1 offered almost no margin for error.
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