Two years in a row, baseball’s most historic rivalry has reached the AL Wild Card Round. And two years in a row, the Yankees’ star power proved to be too much for the Red Sox to handle.
New York advanced to the ALDS with a 9-2 win over Boston in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series on Wednesday night, sweeping the series with another excellent starting pitching performance and an avalanche of late-inning runs against the Red Sox’s bullpen.
Max Fried (6.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Ks, W) followed Cam Schlittler’s Game 1 dominance with more steadiness on the mound for Aaron Boone — and although Sonny Gray (4.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 Ks, L) also started off well for Boston, holding the Yankees scoreless through three innings, the Red Sox pitching staff could only hold onto the game for so long.
Cody Bellinger’s three-run home run in the sixth inning highlighted what became a 14-hit, blowout win, sending fans in the Bronx home happy as the Yankees now begin eyeing a matchup with the AL-best Rays. Even without Aaron Judge available over two nights, New York slugged its way to a postseason series win.
The Sporting News tracked live updates, highlights and more from Wednesday’s Game 2 between the Yankees and Red Sox. Here’s how New York clinched the series win.
Red Sox vs. Yankees updates, highlights from AL Wild Card Game 2
All times ET.
Final: Yankees 9, Red Sox 2
11:15 p.m. — That does it! The Yankees outscore the Red Sox 18-2 over two nights, a dominant effort by all accounts to seal the Wild Card win in this rivalry for the second year in a row. New York has a date with the Rays for another AL East postseason showdown, giving Aaron Judge some more time to get healthy.
Meanwhile, Boston’s season ends quickly, with the Red Sox bats unable to get anything going in the series.
End of eighth inning: Yankees 9, Red Sox 2
11:02 p.m. — Chapman strikes out the side. David Bednar will look to close out the series in the top of the ninth.
10:54 p.m. — Boston’s bats have no answer in the top of the eighth. Aroldis Chapman will come in for the bottom of the eighth, with Chad Tracy having no option but to use his best arms.
End of seventh inning: Yankees 9, Red Sox 2
10:49 p.m. — Alec Gamboa puts an end to the bottom of the seventh, with the Yankees cruising to a Game 2 clincher. The Red Sox need a miracle.
Yankees 9, Red Sox 2
10:33 p.m. RBI SINGLE — Austin Wells brings another Yankees run home. Whitlock and Crochet have struggled for the Red Sox, allowing seven runs in the last two innings.
10:28 p.m. — Will Warren limits the damage to one Red Sox run, and Boston has just six outs remaining to make a comeback.
Yankees 8, Red Sox 2
10:26 p.m. SOLO HOME RUN — There’s no way for the Red Sox to save their season but to start scoring runs. Nick Sogard at least starts them on that journey with a solo homer, cutting the deficit to six.
