By MIKE FITZPATRICK
NEW YORK (AP) — Jazz Chisholm Jr. zipped all the way in which house from first base on Austin Wells’ tiebreaking single within the eighth inning, and the New York Yankees prolonged their season Wednesday night time with a 4-3 victory over the Boston Purple Sox in Recreation 2 of their AL Wild Card Sequence.
Sad he was overlooked of the beginning lineup within the opener, Chisholm additionally made a few essential defensive performs at second base that helped the Yankees ship the best-of-three playoff to a decisive Recreation 3 on Thursday night time within the Bronx.
“What a game. I mean, it has been two great games, these first two,” New York supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned. “A lot of big plays on both sides.”
Within the newest chapter of baseball’s most storied rivalry, the winner advances to face AL East champion Toronto in a best-of-five Division Sequence starting Saturday.
“Should be a fun night,” Purple Sox supervisor Alex Cora mentioned.
Ben Rice hit an early two-run homer for the Yankees on the primary postseason pitch he noticed, and Aaron Decide had an RBI single that went off the glove of diving left fielder Jarren Duran. New York received three innings of scoreless reduction from its shaky bullpen after starter Carlos Rodón put the primary two batters on within the seventh.
Devin Williams labored a one-hit eighth for the win, and David Bednar received three outs for his first postseason save. Decide pumped his fist when he caught Ceddanne Rafaela’s flyball on the right-field warning monitor to finish it.
Trevor Story homered and hit a two-run single for the Purple Sox, who gained the sequence opener 3-1 on Tuesday night time behind ace lefty Garrett Crochet.
With the rating tied within the seventh, Chisholm saved at the very least one run with a diving cease to his proper of an infield single by pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida.
“Unbelievable play,” Rice mentioned. “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 sting of the center-field warning monitor to finish the inning, and fired-up reliever Fernando Cruz waved his arms wildly to pump up the gang.
“I almost got out of his way,” Boone mentioned, 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.”
Mentioned Rice: “I felt like I could see every vein popping out of his head.”
Chisholm additionally made a troublesome play to start out an inning-ending double play with two on within the third — the primary of three well timed double performs turned by the Yankees.
“He’s a game-changer,” Decide mentioned. “He showed up at the park today and had the biggest plays for us.”
There have been two outs within the eighth when Chisholm drew a stroll from dropping pitcher Garrett Whitlock. Chisholm was operating on a full-count pitch when Wells pulled a line drive that landed simply contained in the right-field line and caromed off the low retaining wall in foul territory.
Proper fielder Nate Eaton made a robust, correct throw to the plate, however 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 mentioned. “That’s all I was thinking.”
With the Yankees threatening within the third, Cora lifted starter Brayan Bello from his first postseason outing and handed the sport to a parade of relievers who held New York in examine till the eighth.
Up subsequent
Laborious-throwing rookie Cam Schlittler (4-3, 2.96 ERA) begins Recreation 3 for New York. The best-hander grew up in Boston, the place he attended Northeastern College, however has mentioned he at all times wished to play for the Yankees.
Rookie left-hander Connelly Early (1-2, 2.33 ERA) pitches for the Purple Sox instead of injured Lucas Giolito. Early has made 4 main league begins since his debut on Sept. 9.
Initially Printed: October 1, 2025 at 7:47 PM PDT
