Yankees

Born in Massachusetts, Built for the Bronx: Schlittler and Rice Crush the Red Sox

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Born in Massachusetts, Built for the Bronx: Schlittler and Rice Crush the Red Sox

AI Overview

The Yankees opened the 2026 postseason by defeating the Red Sox 9-0 in Game 1 of their best-of-three Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium. Cam Schlittler allowed two hits over 6 1/3 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts, while Ben Rice went 4-for-5 with two home runs and six RBIs, including a grand slam. New York leads the series 1-0 and will start Max Fried in Game 2.

Boston has seen this movie before. Unfortunately for the Red Sox, Cam Schlittler apparently enjoys the sequel.

Schlittler dominated Boston again, Ben Rice put together a monster night at the plate, and the Yankees opened the 2026 postseason with a 9-0 beatdown of the Red Sox Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.

No Aaron Judge. No problem for one night.

Rice went 4-for-5 with a double, two home runs and six RBIs. Schlittler gave Boston 6 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and one walk while striking out 10.

That’s your Game 1 story right there.

Cam Schlittler Owns Boston Again

At some point, we might have to stop calling these performances against Boston special and start calling them normal.

Schlittler threw 117 pitches, including 77 strikes, and Boston never advanced a runner beyond first base against him.

Think about that.

A playoff game against the Red Sox. Yankee Stadium packed with 48,437 people. The Yankees trying to survive without Judge in the lineup. And Schlittler basically told everybody to relax.

He retired 13 consecutive hitters before issuing a two-out walk in the fifth. When Wilyer Abreu singled with one out in the seventh, Aaron Boone finally came out to get him.

Schlittler walked off to a standing ovation.

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He deserved every second of it.

His career numbers against Boston are becoming ridiculous: 4-1 with a 0.47 ERA and 49 strikeouts in six starts, including the postseason.

Remember, this is the same guy who ended Boston’s 2025 season with eight scoreless innings and 12 strikeouts in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series.

Different October. Same problem for Boston.

Ben Rice Turns Game 1 Into His Night

The Yankees gave Schlittler his first run in the second inning. George Lombard Jr. singled, Anthony Volpe followed with another hit, and Austin Wells brought Lombard home with an RBI single.

It stayed 1-0 until the fifth.

Then Rice went to work.

Boston replaced starter Payton Tolle with left-hander Erik Miller with two outs. Three pitches later, Rice sent one 423 feet into Monument Park.

2-0 Yankees.

That would’ve been enough for Schlittler.

Rice wasn’t finished.

With the bases loaded in the seventh, he delivered an RBI single to make it 3-0. Another run scored on a double play, and suddenly New York had some breathing room at 4-0.

Then came the eighth inning.

The Yankees Buried Them

Lombard opened the inning with his third hit of the night. Ryan McMahon walked, Volpe moved both runners over with a sacrifice bunt and Spencer Jones walked to load the bases.

Wells made it 5-0 with a sacrifice fly.

Paul Goldschmidt walked to reload the bases.

And Rice ended the conversation.

With two strikes against Brayan Bello, Rice launched a grand slam to center field.

9-0.

Good night, Boston.

It was the 16th postseason grand slam in Yankees history and gave Rice six RBIs, tying the franchise record for a postseason game.

Rice finished with four of New York’s 12 hits. Lombard, making his postseason debut at just 21 years old, went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Wells added two hits and two RBIs.

One Down, One to Go

Paul Blackburn and John Schreiber finished what Schlittler started, completing a three-hit shutout. Yankees pitching allowed just one walk and struck out 11.

The Yankees now lead the best-of-three Wild Card Series 1-0.

That’s important, but nobody should be celebrating a series victory yet. Yankees fans watched Boston lose Game 1 last October and still force a deciding Game 3.

Finish the job.

Max Fried gets the ball Wednesday night against former Yankee Sonny Gray. Win that game and Boston goes home while the Yankees move on to face the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS.

Game 1 couldn’t have gone much better.

Schlittler shoved. Rice destroyed baseballs. Lombard looked completely comfortable in his first taste of October. The bullpen didn’t allow Boston back into the game.

And without their captain in the lineup, the Yankees still dropped nine runs on the Red Sox.

Now do it one more time.

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