Yankees edge rival Red Sox 4-3 to
send AL Wild Card Series to decisive Game 3
[October 02, 2025]
By MIKE FITZPATRICK
NEW YORK (AP) — Jazz Chisholm Jr. zipped all the way home from first
base on Austin Wells' tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, and
the New York Yankees extended their season Wednesday night with a
4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card
Series.
Unhappy he was left out of the starting lineup in the opener,
Chisholm also made a couple of critical defensive plays at second
base that helped the Yankees send the best-of-three playoff to a
decisive Game 3 on Thursday night in the Bronx.
“What a game. I mean, it has been two great games, these first two,"
New York manager Aaron Boone said. “A lot of big plays on both
sides.”
In the latest chapter of baseball's most storied rivalry, the winner
advances to face AL East champion Toronto in a best-of-five Division
Series beginning Saturday.
“Should be a fun night,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said.
Ben Rice hit an early two-run homer for the Yankees on the first
postseason pitch he saw, and Aaron Judge had an RBI single that went
off the glove of diving left fielder Jarren Duran. New York got
three innings of scoreless relief from its shaky bullpen after
starter Carlos Rodón put the first two batters on in the seventh.
Devin Williams worked a one-hit eighth for the win, and David Bednar
got three outs for his first postseason save. Judge pumped his fist
when he caught Ceddanne Rafaela's flyball on the right-field warning
track to end it.
Trevor Story homered and hit a two-run single for the Red Sox, who
won the series opener 3-1 on Tuesday night behind ace lefty Garrett
Crochet.
With the score tied in the seventh, Chisholm saved at least one run
with a diving stop to his right of an infield single by pinch-hitter
Masataka Yoshida.
“Unbelievable play,” Rice said. “That’s what you are going to get
from him — just a guy who will give 110% every play.”
Story then flied out with the bases loaded to the edge of the
center-field warning track to end the inning, and fired-up reliever
Fernando Cruz waved his arms wildly to pump up the crowd.
“I almost got out of his way,” Boone said, drawing laughs. “There’s
a passion that he does his job with, and it spilled over a little
bit tonight. I am glad it was the end of his evening at that point.”
[to top of second column] |
New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) connects for an RBI
single to right field to drive in Jazz Chisholm Jr. against the
Boston Red Sox during the eighth inning of Game 2 of an American
League wild-card baseball playoff series, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025,
in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Said Rice: “I felt like I could see every vein
popping out of his head.”
Chisholm also made a tough play to start an inning-ending double
play with two on in the third — the first of three timely double
plays turned by the Yankees.
“He’s a game-changer,” Judge said. “He showed up at the park today
and had the biggest plays for us.”
There were two outs in the eighth when Chisholm drew a walk from
losing pitcher Garrett Whitlock. Chisholm was running on a
full-count pitch when Wells pulled a line drive that landed just
inside the right-field line and caromed off the low retaining wall
in foul territory.
Right fielder Nate Eaton made a strong, accurate throw to the plate,
but the speedy Chisholm barely beat it with a headfirst slide as
Wells pumped his arms at first base.
“Any ball that an outfielder moves to his left or right, I have to
score, in my head,” Chisholm said. “That’s all I was thinking.”
With the Yankees threatening in the third, Cora lifted starter
Brayan Bello from his first postseason outing and handed the game to
a parade of relievers who held New York in check until the eighth.
Up next
Hard-throwing rookie Cam Schlittler (4-3, 2.96 ERA) starts Game 3
for New York. The right-hander grew up in Boston, where he attended
Northeastern University, but has said he always wanted to play for
the Yankees.
Rookie left-hander Connelly Early (1-2, 2.33 ERA) pitches for the
Red Sox in place of injured Lucas Giolito. Early has made four major
league starts since his debut on Sept. 9.
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