From Bryan Hoch:
Backed into a corner and staring down elimination, the Yankees refused to let their season end quietly, coming out swinging to knock the Red Sox flat and keep their October dream alive.
Austin Wells ripped an eighth-inning single that sent Jazz Chisholm Jr. racing home with the go-ahead run as the defending American League champions stormed past the Red Sox with a 4-3 victory in Wednesday’s Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium, forcing a decisive showdown between the historic rivals on Thursday evening.
Wells connected with a 3-2 Garrett Whitlock changeup, lining the seventh pitch of his at-bat onto the grass in right field, where it landed just fair. Chisholm — clearly miffed after not being in the Game 1 lineup — was running on the pitch from first and charged around the bases at full speed, losing his helmet near third base and beating the throw to catcher Carlos Narváez with a headfirst slide.
“I mean, it was a lot of fun,” said Chisholm. “It came down to the wire, last pitch, last batter. We just kept on fighting and we prevailed.”
Well, THAT was nice and unexpected!
A tremendous win by the Yankees, and it was especially nice because Alex Cora decided to go ALL in on winning this series in two games (and, let’s be honest, it was probably the correct risk to take), and now the Red Sox pitching staff is in a bit of a state of disarray headed to Game 3, as I doubt Garrett Whitlock is available after throwing 44 pitches in this one.
It’ll be a battle of rookies, as both Yankee starter Cam Schlittler and Red Sox starter Connor Early will be making their first start against their team’s longtime rival…in a winner take all playoff game. CRAZY!
Luis Gil has pitched so well against the Red Sox, I really thought he had a chance to get the start, but Schlittler has just been pitching SO well lately that I guess I understand the logic of going with the rookie. I sure hope the nerves don’t get to him. We’ll know in the first inning, I imagine.
Anyhow, great win, and what a play by Jazz to score from first on a SINGLE. He deservedly gets the featured image.
They get to lose in three instead of two. It’s SOMEthing.
Thursday’s game changed from a 6:08 PM start to an 8:08 PM start, per MLB.
They could have lost or won either of these games – you have to win some of those, so great to see them win this one!
Thinking about how utterly statistically meaningless such a short series is between teams this closely matched. It becomes a matter sheerly of accident and heroics.
So the Yankees will be facing a pitcher they’ve never seen before. That always works out well.
It’s bizarre how I have NO idea what to expect for either Schlittler OR Early tonight.
We have Warren just in case.
.
NYY -160
BOS +140
(I’m showing NYY -120)