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The Yankees opened their four-game series against Boston with a 1-0 win Friday at Yankee Stadium. Cam Schlittler threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts, while Paul Goldschmidt’s 430-foot homer supplied the only run. Cody Bellinger’s 99.7-mph throw helped complete an inning-ending double play in the seventh. New York improved to 76-58 and moved three games ahead of Boston for the top American League Wild Card spot.
Schlittler allowed two hits and five walks over 5 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out eight. He improved to 12-6, lowered his AL-leading ERA to 2.09 and surpassed 200 strikeouts.
Paul Goldschmidt hit a 430-foot home run to left-center in the third inning. It was his 17th homer of the season.
In the seventh inning, Bellinger threw out Ceddanne Rafaela at home on a 99.7-mph throw after Willson Contreras’ fly ball, completing an inning-ending double play with Austin Wells.
The Yankees didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard Friday night, but against the Red Sox, nobody is giving style points.
Paul Goldschmidt provided the only run, Cam Schlittler kept Boston off the board, and Cody Bellinger delivered the defensive play of the night as the Yankees opened a huge 4-game series with a 1-0 win at Yankee Stadium.
New York improved to 76-58, remained 4 games behind Tampa Bay in the AL East and moved 3 games ahead of Boston for the top American League Wild Card spot.
At this point, Cam Schlittler seeing a Red Sox uniform might be the best thing that can happen to him.
The Massachusetts native worked 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just 2 hits while striking out 8. He did walk 5 and needed 102 pitches, so this wasn’t some effortless cruise. Boston had chances. Schlittler simply refused to give them the hit that mattered.
He improved to 12-6 and lowered his AL-leading ERA to 2.09 while surpassing 200 strikeouts for the season.
And his numbers against Boston are getting ridiculous: 3-1 with a 0.56 ERA and 39 strikeouts over 32 1/3 innings in 5 career starts, including the postseason.
That’s not a small sample anymore. The kid likes this matchup.
The Yankees faced a left-handed starter for the first time since Aug. 8, excluding openers, and Aaron Boone moved Paul Goldschmidt into the leadoff spot.
It paid off in the 3rd.
Goldschmidt jumped Patrick Sandoval and launched a 430-foot home run to left-center, his 17th homer of the season. That was it. One swing. One run.
The Yankees finished with only 3 hits and struck out 11 times. Ben Rice had 2 of those hits, including his 22nd double, but New York couldn’t add insurance despite loading the bases in the 6th.
Normally, scoring 1 run against Boston is asking for trouble.
Friday night, the pitching and defense made it enough.
The biggest moment came in the 7th when Boston finally appeared ready to break through.
Ceddanne Rafaela singled and Wilyer Abreu doubled, putting runners at 2nd and 3rd with 1 out against Paul Blackburn.
Willson Contreras lifted a fly ball to left. Rafaela tagged.
Bellinger came up firing.
His throw home was clocked at 99.7 mph, and Austin Wells completed the play at the plate for an inning-ending double play.
That was the game.
Blackburn returned with a clean 8th before David Bednar handled the 9th in order for his 31st save.
Boston finished 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners. They had opportunities all night and wasted every single one.
A Win The Yankees Needed
The offense still needs to be better. Three hits and 1 run isn’t something you want to make a habit of, especially with September around the corner.
But this time of year, bank the win and move on.
The Yankees took the opener against their biggest rival, strengthened their Wild Card position and did it behind their 24-year-old starter looking completely comfortable in another pressure game.
Now comes a Saturday day-night doubleheader, with Carlos Rodón scheduled for Game 1 and Max Fried expected to return from the injured list for Game 2.
Born in Manhattan, New York, Felix Pantaleon is a Dominican-American digital content creator and the founder of NYYNEWS, one of the first and longest-running independent New York Yankees content creator platforms, active since 2005.
