Cam Schlittler delivered another dominant postseason start against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night, helping the New York Yankees take a 9-0 victory in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series. The right-hander allowed two hits and one walk while striking out 10 over 6 1/3 scoreless innings.
Schlittler reached back for triple-digit velocity immediately, with his first pitch clocked at 100.6 mph. He finished with 117 pitches, including 77 strikes, before leaving to a standing ovation at Yankee Stadium.
The outing also placed Schlittler alongside one of the Yankees’ most notable postseason workhorses. His 117 pitches were the most by a New York pitcher in a postseason game since CC Sabathia threw 121 pitches in a complete-game victory over the Baltimore Orioles in Game 5 of the 2012 ALDS.
Schlittler’s performance added another postseason milestone to his resume. He became the first Yankees pitcher with multiple playoff starts featuring at least 10 strikeouts and zero runs allowed, with both outings coming against Boston. He has now thrown 14 1/3 scoreless postseason innings against the Red Sox while striking out 22.
The 25-year-old entered the postseason after a standout regular season in which he went 14-6 with a 1.95 ERA and 239 strikeouts. His continued success against Boston has made him a difficult matchup for a Red Sox lineup that managed only three hits in Tuesday’s opener.
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While Schlittler controlled the game from the mound, Ben Rice supplied the Yankees’ biggest offensive performance. Rice went 4-for-5 with two home runs and six RBIs, including a grand slam in the eighth inning that turned the late lead into a rout.
The Yankees now hold a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series, putting Boston one loss away from elimination. New York will send Max Fried to the mound in Game 2, while the Red Sox will turn to Sonny Gray with their season on the line.
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