The Boston Red Sox have seized a crucial 3-1 victory against the New York Yankees in Game 1 of their best-of-three Wild Card series, positioning themselves to potentially eliminate their archrivals on Wednesday night. The win at Yankee Stadium was powered by an outstanding pitching performance from Garrett Crochet and a timely offensive surge in the later innings.
Twenty-six-year-old left-hander Garrett Crochet, acquired last winter in a trade that cost Boston four prospects, proved his ace status in his postseason debut. Throughout the regular season, Crochet was a dominant force, compiling an 18-5 record with a 2.59 ERA, leading the league with 255 strikeouts, and pitching an AL-best 205.1 innings. In Tuesday's high-stakes encounter, he delivered a brilliant 7.2-inning outing, conceding only one run while fanning 11 Yankees batters. He effectively stifled a New York lineup that led MLB in scoring this season.
Crochet's sole hiccup occurred in the second inning when Anthony Volpe connected for a solo homer into Yankee Stadium's short right-field porch. However, the southpaw quickly regained control, retiring an incredible 17 consecutive batters and racking up nine more strikeouts. His final pitch, a 100.2 mph fastball to Austin Wells, underscored his resilience and power, tying his fastest pitch of the year.
While Crochet kept the Red Sox in the contest, the team initially struggled to convert scoring opportunities, a recurring issue throughout the season. Despite leading the league in at-bats with runners in scoring position, Boston also topped the charts in strikeouts in those situations. Early on, the Red Sox failed to capitalize against Yankees starter Max Fried, going 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position through his 6.1 innings of work.
The tide turned dramatically in the seventh inning when the Yankees' bullpen, which holds the highest ERA among playoff contenders (4.37), took the mound. Ceddane Rafaela initiated Boston's rally with a gritty 11-pitch walk against reliever Luke Weaver. Nick Sogard followed with a double, putting runners on second and third. Manager Alex Cora then called on pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida, who, despite an up-and-down season, has been clutch in late September. Yoshida immediately smashed Weaver's first offering into center field for a two-run single, giving Boston its first lead at 2-1.
Boston added an insurance run in the ninth when Alex Bregman, playing in his 100th postseason game, laced an RBI double into left field, scoring Trevor Story to make it 3-1. However, closer Aroldis Chapman made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth, surrendering three consecutive singles to Paul Goldschmidt, Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger. Despite the mounting pressure, Chapman composed himself, securing three straight outs, including two strikeouts, to seal the victory.
Looking ahead, the Red Sox will aim to clinch the series on Wednesday with Bryan Bello slated to start Game 2. Bello, who finished the regular season with an 11-9 record and a 3.35 ERA, acknowledges the unique pressure of pitching in the Bronx but has a remarkable track record there, boasting a 3-1 record with a 1.44 ERA in five career starts at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees will counter with Carlos Rodon, who, despite a strong regular season (18-9, 3.09 ERA), has struggled against Boston, allowing 11 runs in 15.2 innings this season. First pitch for Game 2 is set for 6:08 p.m. EST.
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Originally published at: https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-red-sox/2025/09/30/garrett-crochet-boston-red-sox-yankees-game-1-wild-card-mlb-baseball-yoshida/
