The New York Yankees opened the American League Wild Card Series in dominant fashion on Tuesday night, shutting out the Boston Red Sox 9-0 at Yankee Stadium. New York grabbed a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series behind a stellar pitching performance from Cam Schlittler and an offensive explosion led by Ben Rice.
- Ben Rice Drives In Six Runs in Rout
- Red Sox Face Elimination and Injury Concerns
- Looking Ahead to Game 2
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Who won Game 1 of the 2026 AL Wild Card Series between the Yankees and Red Sox?
- How did Cam Schlittler perform in Game 1?
- Who led the Yankees’ offense in Game 1?
- What injury did the Red Sox suffer during the game?
- Who are the starting pitchers for Game 2?
Schlittler, a 25-year-old right-hander and native of Walpole, Massachusetts, continued his regular-season success into October. He pitched 6 ⅓ scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and one walk while recording 10 strikeouts. Relying heavily on an uncommonly high volume of curveballs, Schlittler generated a career-high 24 swing-and-misses to quiet the Boston bats before exiting to a standing ovation and chants of “M-V-P” from a sellout crowd of 48,737 after a career-high 117 pitches.
“The job’s not done,” Schlittler said after the game. “We’ve got to get another win. But it’s very well known that if you want to be a legend, which is obviously the goal, you’ve got to do it in the postseason.”
Ben Rice Drives In Six Runs in Rout
While Schlittler locked down the Red Sox offense, fellow Massachusetts native Ben Rice provided all the run support the Yankees would need. Rice, who grew up in Cohasset, collected four hits on the night, launching two home runs and driving in six runs.
After Austin Wells opened the scoring with an RBI single in the second inning off Boston starter Payton Tolle, Rice added a solo home run off reliever Erik Miller in the fifth inning to double the lead. Rice later capped his monster night with a grand slam in the eighth inning off reliever Brayan Bello, putting the game completely out of reach.
Red Sox Face Elimination and Injury Concerns
The shutout puts the Red Sox in a precarious position. They need to win two consecutive games at Yankee Stadium to advance, mirroring the exact deficit the Yankees overcame against Boston in last year’s postseason.
Adding to Boston’s struggles, designated hitter Roman Anthony exited the game in the sixth inning due to a recurrence of pain in his right hand. Anthony missed significant time earlier in the year following a partial ligament tear in the same hand. He is currently being evaluated, leaving his availability for Game 2 in doubt.
Looking Ahead to Game 2
The series continues on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. The Red Sox will send right-hander Sonny Gray to the mound, while the Yankees counter with left-hander Max Fried as they look to sweep the series and advance to the American League Division Series.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Game 1 of the 2026 AL Wild Card Series between the Yankees and Red Sox?
The New York Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox 9-0 on Tuesday night to take a 1-0 series lead.
How did Cam Schlittler perform in Game 1?
Cam Schlittler pitched 6 ⅓ scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and one walk while striking out 10 batters and throwing a career-high 117 pitches.
Who led the Yankees’ offense in Game 1?
Ben Rice led the Yankees’ offense with four hits, two home runs, and six RBIs, including a grand slam in the eighth inning.
What injury did the Red Sox suffer during the game?
Designated hitter Roman Anthony left the game in the sixth inning due to renewed pain in his right hand, the same hand where he previously suffered a partial ligament tear.
Who are the starting pitchers for Game 2?
The Red Sox are scheduled to start right-hander Sonny Gray, while the Yankees will counter with left-hander Max Fried.
