Yankees Sweep Red Sox 9-2, Advance to ALDS vs Rays

The New York Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox 9-2 on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium, completing a two-game sweep of the American League Wild Card Series. The victory sends New York to the AL Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays starting Saturday.

Max Fried pitched six innings, allowing one run on three hits with six strikeouts, following Cam Schlittler's 6.1 scoreless innings in Game 1. The Yankees' offense broke open a tight game with a six-run sixth inning, sparked by a Spencer Jones wild-pitch strikeout that was overturned via video review.

“Just amazing grit out of this team. It was a kind of stalemate there for a little bit, but then ultimately our offense breaks out and our pitching staff gives us a chance.”

Luis García Jr., acquired at the trade deadline, hit a solo home run in the fourth inning and finished with three hits in his postseason debut. Cody Bellinger added a three-run homer during the sixth-inning rally and drove in four runs total.

Boston starter Sonny Gray, a former Yankee, was pulled after 4.2 innings and two earned runs to loud boos from the crowd. The Red Sox bullpen subsequently collapsed, allowing the Yankees to pull away. Boston managed only seven hits in the series, tied for the fewest in Wild Card history, and was outscored 18-2.

Yankees captain Aaron Judge, sidelined with a calf injury, praised the team's grit. New York lost the regular-season series to Tampa Bay 7-6, setting up a competitive divisional matchup.