NEW YORK -- All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 4-3 win over the Yankees, complete with BSJ analysis and insight
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Ninth-inning madness: It's never easy in Yankee Stadium and this one was no exception. Leading 4-1 in the ninth, closer Craig Kimbrel struggled mightily, with two walks, a hit batsman, a sacrifice fly and a single as two runs scored. It came down to the Yankees having the tying run at second, and the Sox, via a charging play from Eduardo Nunez, just barely nipping Gleyber Torres on a slow roller to third. Even that required a replay challenge, with the call finally upheld. The Sox stood in suspended animation, poised to celebrate, but not quite ready to erupt until the out was made official. "It was nerve-wracking,'' said Steve Pearce of the whole ninth inning. "That crowd starts to get into it and you can see the whole momentum starting to shift. We're glad we ended it when it did. The whole inning was pure drama -- might as well throw that (replay challenge) wrinkle in, too. Once it was confirmed, it was awesome to celebrate with teammates. You can't draw it up any better than that.''
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Sale got the 8th: Before the game, Cora told reporters that it would require the "perfect situation'' for him to give in to Chris Sale's lobbying to contribute out of the bullpen. Perfection arrived in the eighth. After the Sox got scoreless innings from Matt Barnes (sixth) and Ryan Brasier (seventh), the Sox needed a bridge to Kimbrel. Enter, Sale. "He's been talking about it for three days,'' said Cora. "In the seventh, we got together -- Dana (LeVangie), Ron (Roenicke, bench coach) and myself. We already talked to the training staff. He was in the bullpen, but it was kind of like his day (to throw).'' Sale came in and got a flyout, a groundout and a called strikeout, putting away the Yankees 1-2-3.
Porcello gets them started: Like rotation-mates David Price and Chris Sale (until Game 1, that is), Rick Porcello had never won a postseason start when this series began. But that changed with his performance Tuesday night, as he gave the Sox five strong innings, allowing a single run on just four hits. Porcello had thrown just 65 pitches through five, but got the hook as Alex Cora navigated the final 12 outs with his bullpen. "I wasn't surprised,'' said Porcello. "I think we all know now how the postseason works. We've got a phenomenal bullpen. I wasn't really thinking about that; I was thinking about how many more outs we needed.'' Only once -- in the fifth, with a one-out double by Gary Sanchez and an infield single by Gleyber Torres -- did Porcello have two Yankees on base in the same inning, but he got out of that jam by getting Aaron Hicks on a pop-up to second. "Rick pitched his ass off,'' said an appreciative Sale.
TURNING POINT
It didn't come back to haunt them, but it nearly did -- in the eighth inning, the Red Sox had first-and-third with one out, and eventually, loaded the bases with two down. They couldn't get an insurance run home that inning, which nearly cost them when the Yankees scored two in the ninth and had the potential tying run on second and the potential winning run on first.
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TWO UP
Christian Vazquez: Given the start behind the plate for the second straight night, his solo homer in the fourth proved to be the difference.
Steve Pearce: He had two hits and executed a perfect stretch in the ninth inning to grab the throw from Nunez, making sure to keep his foot on the bag, for the final out of the game.
ONE DOWN
Craig Kimbrel: Yes, he got the final out to preserve the win and earned the save. But he was far from sharp, with two runs allowed, two walks issued, a hit batsman and a single allowed in his one inning.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"I even shouted in the dugout, 'Hey, we're all in! He's coming in.'''
— Cora, on the decision to go to Chris Sale for the eighth inning.''
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The Sox outscored the Yankees 27-14 in the series.
- The Sox have won seven of their last eight postseason games against the Yankees.
- Rick Porcello earned his first postseason win.
- With RISP, Red Sox hitters hit .400 (14-for-35) for the ALDS.
- Xander Bogaerts hit safely in every game of the series.
- After allowing four homers in the first two games, the Red Sox didn't allow a homer in the last two games.
- Red Sox starters had a 3.32 ERA in the series.