Two Massachusetts natives tormented their hometown team, as Schlittler struck out 10 in 6 1/3 scoreless innings and Rice belted two homers — including a grand slam — to power New York past Boston in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series.
The New York Yankees opened their American League Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox in emphatic fashion Tuesday night, routing their rivals 9-0 at a boisterous Yankee Stadium behind standout performances from two players who grew up rooting for the other team.
Schlittler Shuts Boston Down
Right-hander Cam Schlittler, a frontrunner for the AL Cy Young Award this season, was virtually untouchable, striking out 10 batters across 6 1/3 shutout innings while allowing just two hits and one walk. He came out firing from the opening pitch, striking out the side in the first inning, and finished the night with a career-high 24 total whiffs.
The performance extended a remarkable trend for Schlittler against Boston: he’s now 4-1 with a 0.47 ERA across six career starts against the Red Sox, including the postseason.
Reliever Paul Blackburn took over in the seventh and induced an inning-ending double play to strand an inherited runner, keeping the shutout intact before New York’s offense pulled away for good.
Rice Blows the Game Open
If Schlittler set the tone, Ben Rice delivered the exclamation point. The first baseman went 4-for-5 with a double, two home runs, and six RBI, capping his night with a grand slam off Boston reliever Brayan Bello in a five-run eighth inning that turned a close game into a rout.
Rice’s first homer, a solo shot off left-hander Erik Miller in the fifth inning, gave New York a 2-0 lead. He added an RBI single in the seventh before delivering the grand slam in the eighth — his second home run of the night — to put the game out of reach.
Both Schlittler and Rice grew up in Massachusetts, with Rice hailing from the Boston suburb of Cohasset, adding an extra layer of storyline to their big night against the team they rooted for growing up.
How Boston’s Night Unraveled
Red Sox starter Payton Tolle, making his first career postseason start, kept Boston within striking distance for much of the night, allowing just one run on a two-out RBI single by Austin Wells in the second inning before departing with two outs in the fifth. But the game unraveled once Boston turned to its bullpen, as New York tacked on two runs in the seventh and five more in the eighth to blow it open.
The Yankees finished with 12 hits compared to just three for the Red Sox, whose lineup managed little offense despite a full night against New York’s pitching staff.
Notably, Yankees slugger Aaron Judge did not appear in the Wild Card roster for the series, yet New York’s offense didn’t miss a beat.
What’s Next
The win gives New York a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three AL Wild Card Series, putting the Red Sox on the brink of elimination as the series shifts forward. Boston will need a strong response to extend its season, while the Yankees will look to Schlittler and Rice’s big night as a springboard heading into the next game of the series.
