Fuck Around and Find Out. Yanks in 2.
Despite the fact that you couldn’t have scripted a more perfect start to the postseason, I can’t say I’m surprised. In fact, I essentially leaked the game script yesterday. You could play this game 1,000 times, and it was always going to end with Cam Schlittler dominating this team. Last night just happened to be the 6.1 scoreless, 10-strikeout, 117-pitch variety, where you never felt for a second that Boston was going to break through.
While this may come across as a slight to Gerrit Cole and the aces of Yankees past, Cam just isn’t a guy you need to feign confidence in. He comes up big in these spots every single time. We are beyond lucky to have this lanky lunatic on our team. Having him pitch two games per series the rest of the way gives us a puncher’s chance against anyone.
Now how about that Yankee offense?
Despite things feeling tense with the game sitting at 1-0 heading into the fifth, you were getting great at-bats and contributions up and down the lineup. Austin Wells, a guy we all wanted replaced at the deadline—ironically by Adley Rutschman—comes up with the big RBI single early on. Anthony Volpe, who I hoped to never hear from again after the first day of the George Lombard experience, gets the hit to set the table earlier in that inning and is laying down sac bunts to help blow the game open.
And what else can you really say about Ben Rice?
Without Judge and Stanton for a majority of the year, the kid has carried this team from a power-hitting perspective and came up massive Tuesday night. A triple shy of the cycle in the bottom of the eighth, Benny Boy instead opted for the Grand Salami that officially put this one into complete laugher territory.
Ironically, the only guys who didn’t really join the party were the righties who played specifically to combat the left-handed starter. You’d be a rare breed of asshole to nitpick Boone on a night where he made 99% of the right calls—especially letting Cam go back out for the seventh—but this is definitely something to monitor as I’m unsure how much more “3-hole” Heliot Ramos I need these playoffs.
And just like that, we’re onto our old pal Sonny Gray.
Everyone knows the story by now. He was an abject failure in New York, the poster child for “the lights were too bright,” yet after exiling himself to Middle American Mediocrity Baseball for seven years, he emerges and suddenly wants to be a part of high-stakes innings again?
“I will say what did factor into my decision to come to Boston is it feels good to me to go to a place now where it’s easy to hate the Yankees.”
I know this pissed off some Yankee fans at the time, but honestly, all I can do is laugh at the poor guy. You can’t even be a little more demonstrative in your blatant pandering attempt?
It was always easy for you to hate us because that’s how your excuse-making, “why me?” brain works.
To anyone going to the game Wednesday: boo this man. He’ll push the bully/victim button regardless, so you might as well get under his paper-thin skin.
I’m glad the Red Sox “let you go out and be yourself.” I’m even more glad I get to witness you crap down your leg in an elimination game, in 4K nonetheless.
On the complete opposite side of the coin is Max Fried, who also came from a smaller market yet has lived up to the billing in his two seasons in New York. While Schlittler’s complete and utter dominance is a tough act to follow, I fully expect Max to mow down whatever is left of this anemic Red Sox lineup.
Even though Cam threw a ton more off-speed than we’re accustomed to, Fried still gives Boston a completely different look, mixing in three different breaking balls to go with a trio of fastballs. As long as he throws strikes, expect tons of soft contact and for him to go very deep into the game.
Boston will be feeling the pressure. You could argue Chad Tracy already was last night when he tried to steal outs with low-leverage bums after pulling Tolle in the fifth. Expect Whitlock and Chapman early, unless Tracy wants to continue saving them until next August, after the lockout ends.
Regardless of whatever kitchen sink is tossed our way, it is paramount that we close this team out tonight. We have much bigger fish to fry, and we need to be as healthy and rested as possible when we face a real challenge in Tampa.
Tonight it will be, and always has been:
Yanks in 2.
