Final: Yankees 4, Red Sox 0 - Yankees eliminate Red Sox in wildcard, Schlittler K's 12 in 8 innings

The 2025 season ends for the Boston Red Sox with a 4-0 elimination loss to the New York Yankees. 

In a matchup featuring two rookie starting pitchers, Cam Schlittler pitched a gem against Boston's lineup.

Through the first three innings of the game, Schlittler and Red Sox starter Connelly Early allowed no runs and struck out five batters. 

However in the fourth inning, the Yankees took advantage of misplays in the field to take a 4-0 lead against Boston.

To start the inning, the Red Sox failed to communicate on a fly ball in right field, and Cody Bellinger made it to second base with a double. Early put another runner on base with a walk, and Amed Rosario drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single that snuck past Trevor Story. 

Jazz Chisholm Jr. then recorded a single to load the bases for New York, and Anthony Volpe followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.

Austin Wells came up to bat in another bases-loaded opportunity, and he brought home two more runs, as Nathaniel Lowe couldn't field a ball at first base. Early's night was over following the play.

Down four runs the rest of the game, the Red Sox had no answers against Schlittler, who went on to pitch eight innings while striking out 12 batters. The Red Sox failed to put a runner on third the entire game. 

Schlittler exited the game after the eighth inning, and David Bednar came in to secure his second conservative save to advance the Yankees into the ALDS.

Tonight, the Red Sox failed to put a fight in this elimination game, only recording five hits and striking out 13 times. All five of Boston's hits were singles.

Early didn't receive any support on both sides of the game. Despite having a  7.36 ERA tonight, Early put up a 0.68 FIP which exemplifies the lack of defense that surrounded him. 

Overall, a disappointing way to end a promising season for the Boston Red Sox.

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WHO: Red Sox vs Yankees
WHEN: 8:08 p.m.
WHERE: Yankee Stadium, New York
SERIES TO DATE: (1-1), (10-5)
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Connelly Early (1-2, 2.33 ERA) vs. RHP Cam Schlittler (4-3, 2.96 ERA)
TV/RADIO: NESN, MLB Network, WEEI-FM 93.7

LIVE BOX

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Jarren Duran (L) LF
Trevor Story (R) SS
Alex Bregman (R) 3B
Masataka Yoshida (L) DH
Ceddanne Rafaela (R) CF
Nathaniel Lowe (L) 1B
Carlos Narváez (R) C
Wilyer Abreu (L) RF
Romy Gonzalez (R) 2B

SP Connelly Early

YANKEES

Trent Grisham (L) CF
Aaron Judge (R) RF
Cody Bellinger (L) LF
Giancarlo Stanton (R) DH
Ben Rice (L) 1B
Amed Rosario (R) 3B
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L) 2B
Anthony Volpe (R) SS
Austin Wells (L) C

SP Cam Schlittler

WHAT'S UP

Rookie Connelly Early gets the start for the Red Sox in elimination game against the New York Yankees.

Early will be the youngest pitcher to start a postseason game since Babe Ruth, who pitched in Game 2 of the 1916 World Series between the Red Sox and the Brooklyn Robins. (MassLIve)

Tonight's pitching matchup is also the second time in MLB history where two rookie pitchers face off in an elimination game. The only other time this happened was in 2020 when Dustin May faced off against Ian Anderson in the NLCS.