The Red Sox got hit with more than a shutout in Game 1 on Tuesday night. They also had to deal with Roman Anthony leaving early, a troubling development after the young outfielder exited in the sixth inning and was replaced by Andruw Monasterio.
Boston is now waiting on more information about Anthony, who had already missed over three months this season because of a partially torn ring finger CMC ligament. He went 0-for-2 before leaving, and his status for Game 2 is now very much up in the air.
The bigger problem, though, was the scoreboard. The Yankees rolled to a 9-0 win, putting the Red Sox one loss away from elimination.
On the New York side, Cam Schlittler owned the night. The right-hander fired 6 1/3 shutout innings, gave up only two hits and one walk, and punched out 10.
Right-handed hitters, left-handed hitters, switch-hitters - none of it mattered. He was in complete control.
Ben Rice was just as loud at the plate. The Massachusetts native went 4-for-6 with two homers and six RBIs, a huge night by any measure. Rookie George Lombard Jr. also came through for the Yankees, finishing 3-for-4 in the win.
Boston did have one arm that held up its end. Rookie Connelly Early made the biggest start of his career and gave the Red Sox a real chance, working 4 2/3 innings, striking out four and allowing one run. The offense never backed him up.
That offense has to wake up fast, and Willson Contreras is a big part of that. He went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, and Boston needs more production from him if it wants any shot at turning this thing around.
As a group, the Red Sox bats were flat from start to finish. They managed only three hits and struck out 11 times. Another night like that, and their season is over.
In Other News...
George Lombard Jr Just Gave Yankees Fans A New October Name
George Lombard Jr. gave the Yankees exactly the kind of jolt October can deliver, and he did it in a place where history tends to linger. In Game 1 of the American League wild-card series against the Red Sox, the rookie shortstop became the youngest player in Yankees history to collect a postseason hit, then kept swinging with the kind of confidence that stood out in a lopsided win.
Lombard finished 3 for 4 with two runs scored as New York rolled to a nine-run victory, a performance that instantly adds another name for fans to watch as the pressure rises. The Yankees now have a chance to close out the series in Game 2, and Lombards emergence only gives the club more reason to feel good about where this October story is headed. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Capitalized On A Red Sox Decision Fans Will Debate
Bostons decision point in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series came with the kind of postseason tension that gets second-guessed almost immediately. Red Sox manager Chad Tracy went to the bullpen in the fifth inning with Payton Tolle still in a one-run game, even though the starter had worked 4.2 innings and allowed just five hits and one earned run. In October, every move gets magnified, especially when a young starter has kept his team close and the margin is still narrow.
The Yankees made sure the debate did not stay theoretical for long. After Tolle gave way to left-hander Erik Miller, Ben Rice jumped on the matchup and delivered a solo home run, the kind of swing that turns a managerial call into a talking point all over again. The larger question hanging over the night is whether Boston moved on Tolle too quickly for the setting, or whether the bullpen decision simply reflected the pressure of protecting a game that was already slipping into the late innings. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox May Have Created A Huge Roman Anthony Problem For The Bronx
Roman Anthonys return for the Boston Red Soxs final regular-season game looked like a significant step toward getting one of their most talented young hitters back on the field, but it did not come without concern. Anthony had already missed much of the season because of a right hand injury, and even in a game that was supposed to help set the tone for October, the hand became an issue again.
Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said the hand was uncomfortable and flared up on a check swing, which is the kind of development no team wants to hear this time of year. For the Yankees, the bigger question is not just whether Anthony can play, but whether Boston can count on him being anywhere close to fully functional if these clubs end up seeing each other in the postseason. [Read more 🡒]